Union, NJ – For the first time in nearly two years, the Montclair State women's basketball team lost an NJAC regular-season contest as the 10th-ranked Red Hawks were upended by Kean University 74-69 at the Harwood Arena on Saturday.
Junior guard
Janitza Aquino (Kearny, NJ, Kearny) had 26 points while junior forward
Melissa Tobie (Elizabeth, NJ, Roselle Catholic) added 23 along with nine rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals for MSU, which fell to 14-2 overall, 8-1 in the NJAC while losing to the Cougars (9-7, 6-3 NJAC) for the first time since the semifinals of the 2012 NJAC Tournament.
The loss also snapped Montclair State's conference regular-season winning streak at 27 games as the Red Hawks' last NJAC regular-season loss came against William Paterson 58-53 in Wayne on February 1, 2012.
Aquino had 18 points in the first half, including three of her five baskets from behind the arc, as MSU was able to offset Kean's 50 percent shooting for a 41-39 lead. Montclair trailed virtually the entire half and fell behind 34-27 with 439 to play before back-to-back three's by Aqunio and Tobie made the score 34-33. A three by the Cougars Jaquetta Owens put Kean back up four before an eight-point run by MSU led to the one-point halftime advantage.
Montclair State would get the lead to five points in the second half 50-45 before Kean ripped off eight consecutive points to take the lead 54-50 on a layup by Anna Rose Pierre with 13:41. The Cougars maintained the lead over the next seven minutes before
Sarah Kluth (Lynbrook, NY, St. Mary's) tied the game at 62-62 with 6:38 to go. The teams then traded baskets before Kean scored the next six points, four from the foul line by Owens for 70-64 lead with 3:10 to play.
A three-pointer by Aqunio and layup by Nicosia Henry brought MSU within 70-69 with 1:41 left by Simone Smith had a layup to boost the lead back to three with a minute remaining. Owens hit two foul shots with seven seconds left for the final margin.
The Red Hawks go back out on the road on Wednesday, January 22 as it travels to Glassboro, NJ to face Rowan University in a 6:00 pm NJAC matchup.
