Eighth-Seeded Women's Basketball Advances to NJAC Championship Game - The College of New Jersey Athletics - The College of New Jersey Athletics

Next Game:

at New Jersey City University

2/26/2022 | 7:00 PM

Feb. 26 (Sat) / 7:00 PM

at New Jersey City University

History

WAYNE, N.J. – We haven't even hit March yet, but the TCNJ women's basketball team is enjoying the madness it's creating in the NJAC Tournament. The eighth-seeded Lions continued its magical postseason run Thursday with a 59-46 victory over fourth-seed William Paterson in the NJAC Tournament semifinal.
 
That magic was on full display late in the first half, as TCNJ scored the final nine points of the second quarter to carry a 29-23 lead into the break. The final three points of that stretch came on a Nina Branchizio prayer at the buzzer. It sent the Lions galloping into their locker room, the full swing of momentum clearly on their side.
 
The halftime intermission did little to quell the drive. TCNJ scored the first eight points of the third quarter, including a pair of baskets by Morgan Heller, to increase its lead to 37-23. In all, the Lions scored 17 points in a row while holding William Paterson scoreless for 5:30 and without a field goal for 9:23.
 
William Paterson used free throws and strong defense to pull its way back into the game late in the third quarter, though. After allowing those 17 straight points, the Pioneers responded with an 11-2 run to end the quarter. Brianna Smith hit a three in the final minute to cut the TCNJ advantage to 39-34.
 
Smith scored the first basket of the fourth quarter, too, to cut the deficit to a single possession, but the Lions used one final spurt to push the game out of reach. After Smith's basket made it 39-36, the Lions scored on three straight possessions. Izzy Leazier and Julia Setaro each hit three pointers, and Kaitlyn Deiter followed with a jumper to make it 47-38 with 7:17 remaining.
 
After another WPU bucket, the Lions scored 10 straight to put the final touches on the evening. Leazier and Branchizio hit threes, and Sydney Blum added a basket in the run. That made it 57-40 with just 2:03 to play.
 
Setaro hit double figures, finishing with 11 points and four steals. Blum just missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high 12 rebounds.
 
Branchizio scored 13 points to lead the Lions, making three more three pointers in five attempts. With 52 makes in 26 games, she now qualifies for the NCAA rankings with a minimum of two makes per game. Her 43.3 percent average from beyond the arc places her fourth in the nation.
 
The Lions will travel to sixth-seeded New Jersey City on Saturday for the NJAC Championship. The Gothic Knights defeated second-seeded Rowan, 83-79, on Thursday to reach the title game. Tip-off in Jersey City is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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2022-02-25 01:11:58Z
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