Women's Hoops Cruise Past Ramapo, 91-36

Women's Hoops Cruise Past Ramapo, 91-36
Kean Athletics

MAHWAH, N.J. (02/02/08) - Freshman forward Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway, N.J.) scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Kean University women's basketball team to a 91-36 victory over host Ramapo College in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon. Patrick (pictured right) connected on 7-of-10 shots from the floor, while junior guard Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.) swiped a career-best 10 steals as the seventh-ranked Cougars (19-1, 7-1 NJAC) won their 14th straight game. Sophomore center Beth Weinmann (Pompton Plains, N.J.) led the Roadrunners (3-16, 0-8 NJAC) with eight points.

After Ramapo hit a free throw to record the first point of the game, Kean responded with 11 straight points to open a 20-2 run and eventually took a 48-20 lead at halftime. Patrick led all scorers in the opening half with 14 points, while junior guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) added 12 points.

Kean held the Roadrunners to just 23.8 percent shooting (5-of-21) in the opening half and scored 28 points off of Ramapo's 20 turnovers.

In the second half, the Cougars extended the lead to 43 points (71-28) after opening the half on a 23-8 run. Kean would lead by as many as 56 points (87-31) with 3:15 remaining, as the Cougars scored at least 90 points for the ninth time this season.

Beyruti added 17 points and five assists for the Cougars, while Jackson had a double-double with 10 points, 10 steals and five assists.

Senior center Chari' Cooper (Paulsboro, N.J.) battled foul trouble the entire game, recording just nine rebounds and six points. Those nine rebounds gave Cooper (pictured left) 1,368 career boards, moving her into sixth place in NCAA Division III history and just nine rebounds shy of moving into the top five all-time.

For the game, Kean held a 53-37 advantage on the glass, including a 28-13 edge on the offensive boards, while also forcing the Roadrunners into 41 turnovers. The Cougars, who scored 51 points off turnovers and took nearly twice as many shots, limited Ramapo to just 25.0 percent shooting (10-of-40) for the game.

Kean looks for its 20th win of the season on Wednesday, February 6, when the Cougars host Rutgers-Camden in NJAC action at 6 p.m.