Upper Montclair, NJ (1/11/03) - Junior forward Liz Martin (Shamong, NJ/Shawnee) scored 19 points, including 13-of-13 from the free throw line as The College of New Jersey held off a late Montclair State rally before posting a 65-59 victory in New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball action at Panzer Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

Junior Laura Mala (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) added 13 points and was one of four players in double-figures for the Lions (9-3, 5-1 NJAC), who bounced back from a loss on Thursday to win for the fourth time in their last five games.

Freshman COURTNEY EPPS (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) had 14 points off the bench for the Red Hawks (7-4, 3-3), who had their two-game winning streak snapped. The Red Hawks were playing for the first time since December 30th when they defeated Rowan for fourth place in the San Diego Surf 'n Slam.

The Lions built a 40-20 halftime lead thanks in part to a solid defensive stand in the final 6:32 of the first half while embarking on a 21-2 run to end the period, including 19 straight points. Leading 19-18, Mala scored five consecutive points and Martin a conventional three-point play for a 27-18 lead with 5:02 left. Martin added two free throws for an 11-point bulge and Theresa DiMedio (Berlin, NJ/Camden Catholic) sank a three-pointer and jumper to make the score 34-18 with 2:39 left in the half. Kristen McCandless (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) and Adrienne Warner (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) each added baskets as TCNJ led 38-18. JASMINE BATTS (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) finally ended the run with a pair of free throws for MSU however, Warner capped off the first half with a basket for the 20-point halftime advantage. In the second half,

Montclair State made it comeback using a "five-player" substitution rotation led by Epps, who scored all of points in the second half. Her three-pointer capped a 15-6 run and pulled MSU within 56-50 with 5:53 left in the game. But Mala answered with a layup and DiMedio hit two free throws and a jumper to restore the lead to 62-50. Montclair did counter one more time as EBONY ALLEN (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) scored on a layup with seven seconds left to make the score 63-59, but Martin iced the game as she complete her perfect day from the line with a pair of free throws.

Warner had 12 points and DiMedio 11 as the Lions went 18-of-23 at the free throw line. Martin, Mala, DiMedio and Alexa Shields (Wall, NJ/Wall) each had six rebounds apiece for the Lions.

Batts had 10 points for Montclair State, which played without starting point guard VANESSA DEFREITAS (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), who is out for the remainder of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. DeFreitas suffered the injury against Rowan in that December 30th game in San Diego.