CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell University women's basketball team overcame a 15-point first-half deficit to beat American International College, 80-74 in a non-conference game Monday night in the George R. Newman Center. With the win, the Cougars improve to 6-5 on the season, while the Yellow Jackets fall to 3-7.

Caldwell failed to make a field goal over the first four minutes of the game, while AIC hit its first five shots in building a 10-1 lead. The Yellow Jackets made 10-of-13 from the field over the first nine minutes of the game and took a 22-7 advantage with 11:14 on the clock. At that point the Cougars began their comeback, getting two three-pointers from junior guard Nicole Angelo (Mount Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic) and another from sophomore guard Antoinette Pilla (Scarsdale, NY/Ardsley) to spark a 19-3 run and give Caldwell a 26-25 lead. With the score tied at 34-34 with 45 seconds left in the half, a three by Alyssa Roach sent the Yellow Jackets into the halftime break with a 37-34 lead. Angelo had 13 points in the half to lead all players.

The comeback continued in the second half, as a basket by senior forward Emily Caswell (Wakefield, RI/Prout School) at the 16-minute mark put the Cougars ahead, 43-41. Nine points from freshman guard Sharell Sanders (Dorchester, MA/St. Mary's) and two more three-pointers by Angelo helped Caldwell go on a 19-12 run to lead 64-55 with 8:07 remaining. But AIC did not give in, as a 10-2 run capped by a three from Imani Stepney made it a one-point game, 66-65 with 4:15 left. The Cougars were able to hold off the Yellow Jackets down the stretch by hitting their free throws, making 10-of-11 from the charity stripe over the final three minutes of the game.

Caldwell shot a blistering 69.6 percent (16-of-23) from the field in the second half, with AIC shooting an impressive 59.3 percent after halftime. The Cougars went to the line 28 times in the game, making 22 compared to 7-of-12 for the Yellow Jackets.

Angelo ended up with a season-high 23 points while hitting 5-of-8 from three-point range. Caswell matched her with 23 points to go with 13 rebounds and three steals for her eighth double-double of the season. Sanders scored a career-best 13 points to go with four rebounds and five assists, while junior forward Lisa Rovatsos (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had nine points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Jessica Coscia (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) registered six assists. Roach led AIC with 16 points, while Sydney Tepley had 13 points and nine rebounds.

Caldwell returns to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action with a game at Concordia College on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. in Bronxville, N.Y.