Box Score
WAYNE, N.J. – For the second time in three days, No. 20/21 William Paterson (22-3, 11-2 NJAC) had to work hard to get past Ramapo (15-10, 5-8 NJAC), this time for a 52-43 victory in the regular-season finale for both schools Feb. 16.
William Paterson won the New Jersey Athletic Conference's North Division, earning a first-round bye for the upcoming NJAC Tournament. The Pioneers will host a semifinal game Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 7:00 p.m. against the winner of the Richard Stockton/Montclair State first-round game to be played Feb. 19. The two semifinal winners will play in the championship game Saturday, Feb. 26, at the site of the highest remaining seed at a time to be determined.
Junior guard
BriAnna Lucas (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) led all players with 21 points and four steals, adding six rebounds and three assists for the Pioneers. Sophomore forward
Tatiana Javis (Newark, N.J./ Bloomfield Tech) registered a game-best 12 rebounds, and junior forward
April Smith (Barnegat, N.J./Southern Regional) added 10 points.
After WP earned a hard-fought 60-55 win at Ramapo Feb. 14, the two teams met again with the Roadrunners needing a victory on the season's final night to secure a bid to the NJAC Tournament. The two teams combined to miss the first seven shots of the contest and turned it over three times during the first 2:43, a string finally broken by a pair of
Lindsey Callander (Branchburg, N.J./Somerville) free throws. Eight ties and four lead changes marked the game's first 20 minutes, but a late Lucas three-pointer off an inbounds play during the final 10 seconds allowed the Pioneers to take a 28-23 lead into halftime.
William Paterson's lead stretched to seven to start the second period, but a mini 6-0 Roadrunner spurt made it a 34-33 contest with 13:59 to play. Neither team found the bottom of the net for the next 3:28, but Smith drained a three-pointer to make it a two-possession game at 37-33 with 10:31 on the clock.
Ramapo would again trim the lead to one, this time 40-39 after an Alexa Ryan layup with 5:06 to play, but a
Floriana Borova (Cresskill, N.J./Cresskill) jumper ignited a 12-4 WP run to finish the contest.
Freshman Brittany Howes led Ramapo with 10 points, senior Danielle Beam had nine tallies and nine rebounds, and Ryan finished with six boards and four assists.
