NJAC Tournament Central |
NJAC Tournament Bracket (PDF)
WAYNE, N.J. – The third-seeded William Paterson women's basketball team (19-7, 14-4 NJAC) will square off against second-seeded Montclair State (21-4, 15-3 NJAC) Wednesday, Feb. 26, in the semifinal round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament at 7:00 p.m. in Montclair, N.J.
TICKET INFORMATION
- Tickets can be purchased in advance HERE
- Ticket prices are $10.00 for adults; $5.00 for seniors (65+) and $2.00 for children
- All other spectators must present a QR code on their phone or on a printed ticket by purchasing online in advance
- Please note that online ticket sales for William Paterson at Montclair State will close at 7:00 PM on Tuesday (24 hours prior to tipoff) or when capacity is reached, whichever is sooner
HOW TO CATCH THE ACTION
WHERE
WHAT'S AT STAKE
- The winner of the matchup between William Paterson and Montclair State will advance to the championship Saturday, March 1, against the winner of the other semifinal game between No. 1 The College of New Jersey and No. 5 Kean. The highest remaining seed will host the championship game at a time to be determined. The NJAC Tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
WP IN THE NJAC TOURNAMENT
- The Pioneers are seeking their fourth conference title (1993, 2011, 2012).
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
- William Paterson extended its win streak to six after edging sixth-seeded New Jersey City, 55-54, Feb. 22 in the NJAC Tournament Semifinals at the Sports and Recreation Center. It marked the program's first NJAC Tournament win since besting Ramapo, 63-57, in the quarterfinals on Feb. 22, 2022.
- The Pioneers picked up their 19th victory of the campaign, marking the highest single-season win total for the program since the 2012-13 team finished 21-8.
- Graduate student Brianna Smith (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) scored a game-high 25 points in the victory over the Gothic Knights, including the game-winning three with 12 seconds remaining. She is shooting 40 percent (126-of-312) from the field this season and currently sits third in the conference in scoring with 14.1 points per game.
- Junior Renee Wells (Leonardo, N.J./Middletown South) leads WP with 2.6 assists per game while ranking second in scoring (13.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg). She chipped in with eight points, five rebounds and three assists against NJCU.
- Junior Patty Walsh (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) is the Pioneers' top rebounder, reeling in 6.5 boards per contest and is third on the team in scoring with 9.2 points per game. The Middletown, N.J., native finished with 10 points in the quarterfinal win against NJCU, adding five rebounds to her stat line.
SCOUTING THE RED HAWKS
- Montclair State finished the regular season with a 21-4 overall record and 15-3 mark in conference play.
- The Red Hawks went 11-2 at home this season and were on a seven-game win streak at Panzer Athletic Center before falling to The College of New Jersey, 72-63, in the regular season finale Feb. 19.
- Standout freshman Alyssa Craigwell leads the team in scoring (15.5 ppg), rebounding (5.8 rpg) and steals per game (2.1). She ranks second in the NJAC in scoring and is coming off a career-high 30-point performance in the home loss to TCNJ.
- Senior Olivia Vero is second on the team in points per game (13.2) while leading the Red Hawks with 7.8 boards per contest. She is currently on an 11-game double-digit scoring streak.
EARLIER THIS SEASON
- William Paterson and Montclair State split the regular season series, each picking up a win on its home court.
- The Pioneers bested the Red Hawks, 66-50, Dec. 4 at the Sports and Recreation Center before Montclair State earned a 68-54 win at home on Jan. 29.
- Smith scored in double figures in both outings, including a game-high 23 points on 8-of-14 (.571) shooting during the series opener in Wayne, N.J. The Hillsdale, N.J., native is averaging 18.0 points, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 rebounds per game this season opposite the Red Hawks.
- Wells posted a pair of double-digit scoring efforts against Montclair State, putting up 16 points in the Dec. 4 win before adding a 10-point performance in the second meeting.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS
