STOCKTON QUALIFIES FOR NJAC TOURNEY WITH 83-70 WIN

Lauren Alwan

Boxscore / Video Highlights

Richard Stockton (15-11) won an NJAC Tournament play-in game by downing Rowan (10-16) 83-70. The teams finished the regular season even in all tiebreakers, forcing a playoff for the last spot in the NJAC Tournament.

With the win, Stockton advanced to play at Montclair State in the first round of the league playoffs on Saturday at 1 pm.

Lauren Alwan (Winslow/Timber Creek) tied her career high with 22 points to lead five Ospreys in double figures. Sarah Gibbs (Ocean View/Ocean City) tied her career high with 13 counters.

Che'Na Thompson (Salem/Salem) and Aliyah Nelson (Pleasantville/St. Joseph) each scored 12 points, with Thompson pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds. Brittany Muniz (Cherry Hill/Cherry Hill East) scored 11 more and LaTonya Oliver (West Berlin/Overbrook) snatched 11 boards as Stockton out-rebounded Rowan 55-45.

With the Profs leading by two at 28-26 in the first half, Gibbs came off the bench to spark the team. In two minutes, Gibbs scored all nine of her first-half points to give Stockton a 37-30 advantage. Baskets by Kelsey Brown (Washington Twp/Washington Twp.) and Alwan stretched the lead to 11 before ending the half up 41-32.

Alwan led all scorers with 13 first-half points while Lauren Gregg countered with 12 markers in the period to lead the Profs.

In the second half, Rowan closed to within three at 54-51 as Kate Matthews and Kaitlin Schullstrom scored two buckets apiece during a 10-2 run, but the Profs could get no closer. Alwan netted nine more points and Thompson scored eight after the break to keep the Profs at bay. Nelson hit four foul shots in the final 32 seconds to seal the 83-70 victory.

Gregg hit for a game-high 24 points for the Profs to go along with 10 rebounds. Matthews chipped in with 13 counters and Schullstrom tallied 12 more while teammate Erin Farrell accounted for 10 points.