UNION, N.J. (1/23/10) - The Kean University women's basketball team held visiting Rutgers-Newark to just 11 second-half points en-route to posting their 19th straight victory with a 69-32 win over the Scarlet Raiders on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey Athletic Conference action. Senior guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) led all scorers with 16 points, including four three-pointers, to lead the #3/4 Cougars (19-1, 8-0 NJAC). Senior forward Courtney Vacca (Wayne, N.J.) finished with a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds) to lead Rutgers-Newark (7-11, 2-5 NJAC).

The Cougars scored the first nine points of the game and led 20-11 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the opening half, before junior guard Martyna Ruminska (Kearny, N.J.) capped a 9-1 Scarlet Raider run with a three-pointer, pulling Rutgers-Newark to within 22-20 with 8:37 to go in the half. The Cougars closed the half on an 11-1 run, including the final seven points of the stanza, to take a 33-21 lead at the break.
Beyruti scored 14 of her points in the opening half, while senior guard Cardiss Jackman (Tobyhanna, Pa.) chipped in with eight points for the Cougars. Vacca had nine points and seven rebounds in the first half for the Scarlet Raiders.

In the second half, the Cougars extended the run to 13 unanswered points with the first six point of the half, taking a 39-21 lead on a lay-up by sophomore Brittany Powell (Tinton Falls, N.J.). Kean would lead by as many as 40 points at 69-29 with 1:32 remaining, before Ruminska closed out the scoring with a three-pointer in the final 10 seconds for the 37-point Kean victory.

The Cougars held Rutgers-Newark to just 13.0 percent shooting (3-of-23) in the second half, while forcing 30 turnovers in the game.

Rookie guard Naimah Clemons (Newark, N.J.) had 13 points and four steals for Kean, while Jackman added 12 points and six rebounds in the win.

For Rutgers-Newark, Ruminska finished with 11 points and sophomore guard Jared Tactuk (Wayne, N.J.) added eight points.