CALDWELL, N.J. - Sophomore forward Jeanette Anderson (Lynn, MA/Lynn) poured in a career-high 32 points to go with 13 rebounds as the Caldwell College women's basketball team beat NYIT, 83-69 in a non-conference game Monday night in the George R. Newman Center. The win is the fifth in a row for the Cougars, who are now 6-5 on the season. The Bears fall to 4-4 in defeat.
Caldwell held a 22-19 lead with 6:21 left in the first half before the Bears rolled off a 17-8 spree to take a 36-30 advantage late in the half. A basket by freshman forward Taylor Baggs (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) and a free throw from senior guard Willeen Capehart (Providence, RI/LaSalle Acad.) made the halftime score 36-33 in favor of NYIT. The Cougars turned the ball over 14 times but gained a 24-18 rebounding edge in the half.
Momentum tipped in favor of the hosts, as Caldwell scored the first seven points of the second half to spark a 23-10 run capped by a three-pointer from senior guard Stephanie Cadet (Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial) for a 56-46 lead at the 13:14 mark. NYIT was able to reduce the deficit to five points four times, the last time following a lay-up by Cierra Baker that made the score 68-63 Caldwell with 6:19 to play. But five points from junior guard Torey Jones (Providence, RI/LaSalle Acad.) and four more from Anderson led to a 13-4 run that put the game out of reach, 81-67 with two minutes left.
Anderson made all six of her field goal attempts in the second half and shot 72.2 percent (13-of-18) for the game. Six of her 13 rebounds came on the offensive glass, as Caldwell recorded a 39-31 rebounding advantage for the game. Jones hit 3-of-5 from three-point range and finished with 19 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals. Freshman guard Jessica Coscia (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) turned in her best game as a collegian, dishing out a career-high 14 assists while scoring seven points. Baker ended up with 24 points and 13 boards to pace the Bears.
Caldwell plays at Queens College on Monday, Dec. 19. The non-conference game begins at 5:00 p.m. in Flushing, N.Y.
