Box Score

WAYNE, N.J. – No. 13/12 Kean (24-3) used a 20-0 advantage on fast-break points to run past William Paterson (20-6), 73-45, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament semifinals Feb. 27 at WP's Rec Center.

Kean will advance to the NJAC Tournament championship Friday, Feb. 29, at 7:00 p.m., facing The College of New Jersey in Ewing. The Lions defeated Montclair State, 74-52, in the night's other semifinal contest.

Kean junior guard Melissa Beyruti came out firing, scoring 16 of the Cougars' 37 first-half points on 5-for-6 (.833) shooting from beyond the arc. Kean connected on 45.5 (15-33) percent of its attempts during the first 20 minutes, including five of nine (.556) from three-point range, and held the Pioneers to an 8-for-35 (.229) effort from the floor to take a 37-24 lead into the locker room.

The lid continued to be on the basket for the Pioneers in the second half, as quality shots just would not fall for the home team. Kean used a 14-2 run early in the second half to open up a 27-point edge (55-28, 11:03) and take firm grasp of the contest, scoring 16 points in transition during the second stanza. Unlike the two teams' earlier meeting this season, an 82-79 William Paterson victory at Kean Dec. 8, the Pioneers could not keep the Cougars in a half-court game for most of the contest.

Beyruti, a first-team all-NJAC selection, finished with 18 points for Kean, making six of 15 (.400) attempts from the floor and five of 10 (.500) from three-point range. Sophomore guard Cardiss Jackman had 16 tallies, first-team all-conference center Chari' Cooper had 10 points and 14 rebounds, and freshman forward Tiffany Patrick collected 19 rebounds. The Cougars finished the contest with a 39.7 (29-73) field-goal percentage, including 33.3 (6-18) percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Sophomore guard Elisa Brown (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) had nine points for the Pioneers, while NJAC Defensive Player of the Year Asia Johnson (Wildwood, N.J./Wildwood) had seven tallies, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. William Paterson suffered from its worst shooting effort of the season, making 17 of 73 (.233) attempts, including a 1-for-16 (.063) effort from the league's best three-point shooting team (.361).

The Pioneers, the champions of the North Division, were the top overall seed in the NJAC Tournament with an 11-2 regular-season record. The Cougars were the second seed from the South Division with a 10-3 NJAC mark. Kean was ranked 13th in the USA Today/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 Poll, and 12th in the d3hoops.com Top 25 Poll.