NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers-Newark senior forward Jaleesa Coleman scored 12 of her team-high 20 points in the first half, but nationally-ranked Kean downed the Scarlet Raiders, 72-54, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference in The Golden Dome.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

The Cougars (14-2, NJAC 5-0), ranked seventh in D3Hoops.com and ninth in WBCA Top 25 polls, won their fifth in a row while the Scarlet Raiders (13-3, NJAC 4-1) saw a three-game winning streak snapped.

Raider junior guard Brittany Smith netted eight of her 10 points in the second half and finished with five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Sophomore guard Kristen Venning tallied seven points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots while junior guard Jared Tactuk chipped in five points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Senior forward Tiffany Patrick had game-highs of 23 points and a dozen rebounds to pace Kean University. Patrick hit eight of 14 shots from the floor and all seven of her free throws to help the Cougars connect on 43.5% (27-62) of their field goals and 13 of 16 free throws.

Kean also got 17 points and four steals from sophomore guard Naimah Clemons and 11 points from freshman guard Emily Cristaldi. Sophomore center Simone Smith hauled down 10 rebounds as the Cougars dominated the boards, 54-36.

Clemons hit a 3-point jumper and a fastbreak layup to ignite an 8-0 Cougar run capped by a trey by sophomore forward Kyanne Sager with 7:11 left in the opening period which staked Kean to a 26-14 lead. The Raiders got no closer than eight points before the Cougars pulled away to lead 40-25 at intermission. Kean pushed the lead to as many as 23 points in the second half.

Rutgers-Newark travels to Montclair State on Wednesday while Kean hosts Rutgers-Camden in a pair of NJAC doubleheaders.