GLASSBORO, NJ…A roller coaster season of many winning and losing streaks that overall proved to be fruitful came to an end on Saturday, as New Jersey City University’s women’s basketball team dropped an 89-62 decision to Rowan University at Esby Gym in the Gothic Knights’ 2001-2002 New Jersey Athletic Conference and regular season finale. NJCU ends the year with an overall mark of 10-15, and were 5-13 in league play, this after going 7-17 (4-14) in 2000-2001. The Profs finish (13-11, 12-6), but miss out on the NJAC playoffs because Richard Stockton and Rutgers-Camden were victorious on Saturday.
Senior forward Kristi McCullough (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) led the Profs with a career scoring high of 32 points in her final career regular season game on 13-for-24 shooting, including 19 in the second half. The career high was posted two years to the date of her previous best, a 26-point showing vs. Richard Stockton on February 16, 2000. She added a game-best 13 rebounds (11 defensive) in 35 minutes played.
Senior shooting guard Sandra Nunez (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) played the final game of her record-breaking career, leading the way for NJCU with 13 points (5-14), including the 106th three-pointer of her career (3-10). She graduates as the fifth all-time leader in threes made in school history, and the first woman to eclipse the century mark. The previous career record was 76. Nunez finished the season hitting on 41-of-130 three-point tries (31.5 percent).
Junior center
Shondelle Browne (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) had 11 points and 12 rebounds (nine defensive) before fouling out with 6:25 left in regulation. Sophomore point guard
Cristina Morales (Newark, NJ/Shabazz) tallied 10 points (5-of-13), while freshman forward
BERNICE AMADEO (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) added 10 (4-of-9). Senior forward
Lyneshia Jefferson (Newark, NJ/Central) had eight points in her final career game for the Knights. NJCU shot 24-of-65 from the floor (36.9 percent).
In contrast, the Profs were an amazingly accurate 55.6 percent for the game (35-63), including 64.5 percent (20-31) in a second half where Rowan outscored NJCU, 48-31 to open the game wide open. The Profs dominated NJCU in the paint, 52-18, and outscored the Knight bench, 27-10.
Rowan led 9-8 early, and used a 10-0 run to take a double-digit lead, which they maintained at the midway point, 41-31. Another 10-2 blitz gave the Profs a 51-33, 18-point lead with 16:08 to go. Rowan’s largest lead was 30, 89-59 with 1:22 on the clock.
Freshman forward Kami Bernardo (Roebling, NJ/Florence Township Memorial) had 14 points (5-of-7), and six rebounds. Senior guard Lisa Guide (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) recorded 12 points (5-of-9), six rebounds, and six assists in her final regular season game. Sophomore guard Jennifer Daly (Port Monmouth, NJ/Middletown North) registered 11 points (4-for-7). Sophomore guard Staci Minuskin (Howell, NJ/Howell) and freshman guard Kate Drumgoole (Fort Lee, NJ/Paramus Catholic) each distributed six assists for the Profs. Rowan out-rebounded NJCU, 44-33.
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