CALDWELL, N.J. - Southern Connecticut State handed Caldwell College a 65-28 loss in a non-conference women's basketball game Thursday evening at the George R. Newman Center. The Cougars fell to 3-5 overall, while the Owls, who play in the Northeast-10 Conference, won their fifth straight game to improve to 8-2.

Southern Connecticut State used a 22-2 run to open up a 26-6 lead with 6:49 left in the first half and effectively put the game away early. Caldwell was unable to get any closer than 18 points the rest of the way, as the Owls held the Cougars to just six field goals for the game. Sophomore forward Dana Leary (Bridgewater, NJ/Immaculata), left, had three of them, and made a career-high nine free throws in 10 attempts to finish with a team-best 15 points. Kate Lynch led all scorers with 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field.

The Cougars head to Columbus, Ga., for the Columbus State Tournament, to be held Dec. 29-30.