Kean Captures 13th NJAC Championship

UNION, N.J. (2/27/10) – The Kean University women’s basketball team captured the program’s 13^th New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship, defeating #8 William Paterson University, 70-62, at Harwood Arena on Saturday evening.

The #2 Cougars (26-1) won their school-record 26^th straight game and earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament. Sophomore guard Brittany Powell (Tinton Falls, N.J.) came off the bench to score 16 points, while junior forward Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway, N.J.) had a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Cougars, who have won three of the last four NJAC titles.

William Paterson (25-2) suffers just their second loss of the season, both at the hands of the Cougars, despite 16 points from senior guard Julie Haledjian (Montvale, N.J.). It is also the second time in the last four seasons Kean has defeated the Pioneers in the NJAC title game, with the Cougars winning the first of their back-to-back championships in 2006-07.