#2 Kean Closes Out Perfect NJAC Regular Season

#2 Kean Closes Out Perfect NJAC Regular Season
Kean Athletics

UNION, N.J. (2/15/10) - The Kean University women's basketball team won its 24th straight game and finished the New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season with a perfect 13-0 record with a 76-55 win over visiting Rowan University on Monday evening. Junior forward Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway, N.J.) had a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Cougars (24-1, 13-0 NJAC), who haven't lost since the season opener at Division I Rutgers University. Rowan (15-8, 8-4) was led by senior forward Amanda Jennings (Turnersville, N.J.), who finished with 19 points and six rebounds.

Rowan took an early 10-4 lead in the opening minutes, as Jennings netted eight of those points on 4-of-6 shooting. The Cougars tied the game at 11 on a three-pointer by rookie Naimah Clemons (Newark, N.J.) and six straight points would give the Cougars a 17-13 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

A pair of free throws by Rowan senior guard Danielle Rohe (Dumont, N.J.) capped an 8-2 run for the Profs, however the 21-19 edge would be the final lead of the game for Rowan, as the Cougars responded with a 14-2 spurt to build their largest lead of the half at 32-23 with 2:39 left in the first half.

Patrick and Clemons scored with and seven points, respectively, in the opening half, as the Cougars took a 34-29 lead at the break. Jennings hit 8-of-14 shots from the floor to lead Rowan with 16 first-half points.
The Cougars opened the second half with 13 straight points, with Patrick (nine points) and Clemons (four points) accounting for all the offense in building the 47-29 lead just 3:34 into the half. The lead would extend to as many as 24 points (74-51) on a lay-up by Patrick with just over four minutes remaining en-route to the Cougars posting the perfect conference record.

Clemons knocked down 7-of-11 shots to finish with 16 points, four steals and three assists for the Cougars. Senior forward Danielle Brown (North Brunswick, N.J.) nearly had a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while blocking four shots. Senior guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) had just one three-pointer, giving her 391 in her career and moving her into a tie for second place in NCAA history and just two away from becoming the all-time leader among NCAA Division I, II and III.

For Rowan, sophomore Lauren Creel (Pennsauken, N.J.) finished with 11 points off the bench.

The Cougars, who have already clinched home court advantage throughout the NJAC playoffs, have a first-round bye and will host a semifinal game on Tuesday, February 23, at 7 p.m. The Cougars will face the winner of Montclair State University and the NJAC South Division third seed, which will be either The College of New Jersey or Richard Stockton College.