CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College women's basketball team won its ninth consecutive game with a hard-fought, 65-61 decision over visiting Post University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Thursday night in the George R. Newman Center. The win allows the Cougars to tie the program's record for the longest winning streak and improve to 12-3 overall and 8-1 in league play. The Eagles drop to 6-11, 4-6 CACC with the loss.

The first half remained close, with Caldwell building a 20-15 lead with 7:32 on the clock. After Post tied the game at 21-21, a lay-up by sophomore guard Torey Jones (Providence, RI/LaSalle Acad.) and two free throws from freshman forward Jeanette Anderson (Lynn, MA/Lynn English) gave the Cougars a 25-21 advantage at the break. Caldwell made just 9-of-35 (25.7 percent) from the field in the first half, with Anderson scoring 11 points.

With the Cougars still on top, 32-27 with 15:36 left in the game, a pair of lay-ups by Anderson and back-to-back three-pointers from Jones and junior guard Stephanie Cadet (Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial) gave Caldwell its largest lead of the game, 42-29 with 12:34 remaining. The Eagles answered with a 10-2 run, including six points from Kelli Reynolds, to cut the Cougars' lead to 44-39. Caldwell maintained control of the game and built its lead back up to 10 following a basket by senior guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Acad.) at the four-minute mark.

But Post did not give up, capping a 7-0 run with a three from Jessica Webber to make the score 57-54 Caldwell with two minutes left. The Eagles were able to pull to within two points twice in the last minute of the game, but the Cougars made enough free throws, hitting 5-of-9 from the line down the stretch, to wrap up the victory. Caldwell's shooting improved to 45.5 percent from the floor in the second half, and the Cougars committed just eight turnovers while dishing out 16 assists. The nine-game winning streak matches the school record of nine set during the 1996-97 season.

Anderson led all scorers with 22 points to go with 12 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Jones finished with 19 points, four rebounds, six assists and three steals, while Leedham pitched in 10 points and three assists. Reynolds led Post with 14 points, and Monique Chance grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to help the Eagles take a 51-38 edge on the glass.

The Cougars, who are ranked 10th in the NCAA Division II East Region rankings, will host nationally-ranked Holy Family University on Saturday, Jan. 29. The 21st-ranked Tigers, who are second in the East Region, have won the past 17 meetings with Caldwell. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m. in the Newman Center.