Box Score 

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Freshman BriAnna Lucas (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) posted a game-best 22 points and five steals and junior guard Julie Haledjian (Montvale, N.J./Pascack Hills) had 19 tallies and five assists as William Paterson (9-3) rallied for a 76-62 victory against Bridgewater State (5-4) in the first round of the Moravian/STARTERS Women's Basketball Winter Classic Jan. 2.

The Pioneers will face No. 21 Moravian, a 67-63 winner against Frostburg State in the other first-round contest, Saturday, Jan. 3, at 3:00 p.m. in the tournament championship game.

Bridgewater led by as many as six during a first half that saw six lead changes, and owned a 36-33 edge at the break. The Pioneers took the lead for good following a Haledjian three-pointer at the 15:17 mark of the second period (42-40), a basket that started a 13-2 William Paterson run that resulted in a double-digit lead (52-42, 11:46). Bridgewater would later cut the advantage to three (54-51, 7:56), but WP immediately responded with an 11-4 spurt (65-55, 4:07) to re-establish control of the game.

Junior forward Jonnelle Rodriguez (Elizabeth, N.J./Carteret) scored a career-best 12 points to go along with seven rebounds for the Pioneers, while classmate Elisa Brown (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) chipped in eight tallies and five steals. Shelly DePina led three Bears in double figures with 14 points.