Box Score

WAYNE, N.J. – Behind career-best performances from junior Asia Johnson (Wildwood, N.J./Wildwood) and sophomore Erin Cook (Princeton, N.J./Princeton), the William Paterson women's basketball team (9-3) battled to an 80-76 overtime victory against visiting College of Staten Island Jan. 9.

After taking a three-point lead into the locker room (29-26), WP opened up an 11-point edge early in the second stanza (39-28, 16:02).  The Dolphins chipped away at that advantage, finally taking their first lead of the period after a Kristen Panariello layup at the 4:32 mark (56-54).  Cook knotted the score with a follow of her own missed free throw, and Joi Stevens (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) converted a fast-break layup to give the Pioneers a 58-56 lead (3:08).  Nicole Estrada's three gave CSI a 59-58 edge 12 seconds later, but Johnson's three-point play again made it a two-point game with 2:36 remaining (61-59).  Megan Sullivan's pair of free throws knotted the score at 61-61 (2:26), followed by a Cook putback jumper (63-61, 2:10), a Panariello layup (63-63, 1:55), another Cook layup (65-63, 1:25) and a Mallory Ameneiros bucket (65-65, 1:05).  CSI had the best chance to win the game during the waning seconds, but Johnson blocked Sullivan's layup attempt during the final four seconds, sending the two teams to overtime.

Staten Island made the first basket of the extra session, but the Pioneers answered with a 7-0 run, capped by a Cook three-pointer at the 2:37 mark (72-67).  The Dolphins scored seven of the next nine points, deadlocking the game at 74-74 with 1:09 remaining, but Johnson's rebound and basket gave WP the lead (76-74, 0:45), and the Pioneers went 4-for-4 from the line down the stretch to secure the victory.

Johnson established new career highs with 20 points and 17 rebounds, adding four steals and a pair of blocked shots for William Paterson.  Cook also established new career bests with her 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Elisa Brown (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) had 12 points, six rebounds and six steals, and Lauren Miller (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) scored 10 points.  The Pioneers played without their two leading scorers, Michelle Pellichero (Milltown, N.J./Bishop Ahr) and Lori Custis (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark), who were unavailable due to illness and injury, respectively.

William Paterson will return to conference action Saturday, Jan. 12, at home against Rutgers-Camden at 3:00 p.m.