Upper Montclair, NJ (12/4/02) - Senior forward Kelly Bakanowsky (Gibbsboro, NJ/Voorhees) scored 17 points as Richard Stockton built a double-digit halftime lead and cruised to a 69-54 victory over Montclair State in New Jersey Athletic Conference Women's Basketball action at Panzer Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.
Christina Mason (Southampton, NJ/Lenape) and Kristen Spencer (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) each added 10 points for the Ospreys (2-2, 1-1 NJAC). Freshman center
EBONY ALLEN (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Hawks (3-1, 1-1 NJAC), who committed 28 turnovers in suffering their first defeat of the season.
Bakanowsky scored nine in the first half as Richard Stockton built a 33-20 halftime lead. The Ospreys, who forced 18 MSU turnovers in the period, led 22-17 before going on an 11-3 run to end the half. Takisha Pride (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) scored on a layup to start the run and added two free throws for a 26-17 lead with 3:51 left in the half.
VANESSA DEFREITAS (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) sank a foul shot for the Red Hawks, but Pride answered with a layup to make the score 28-18 with 1:06 left. DeFreitas hit a running jumper to pull Montclair within eight, but Amy Hughes (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) sank a short jumper before Bakanowsky ended the half with a three-point from the left side with seven seconds left for the 13-point advantage.
In the second half, Montclair cut the lead to nine at 41-32 on an Allen layup with 14:35 remaining, however, Richard Stockton scored the next 17 points to put the game away. Bakanowsky had four and Mason, who had five assists, scored on a four-point play (three-pointer and free throw) as the Ospreys held a 58-32 advantage with 10:20 left in the game.
DeFreitas had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists for Montclair State, which shot a dismal 29 percent (20-of-67) from the field.
JASMINE BATTS (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Red Hawks. Pride had eight points and nine rebounds for Richard Stockton, which overcame 28 turnovers.