CALDWELL, N.J.- Caldwell University women's basketball senior Casey O'Shaughnessy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored a season-high 29 points as the Cougars opened conference play with a 72-51 victory over Alliance University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.
 
The Cougars improve to 3-4 on the season and 1-0 in the CACC, while Alliance falls to 1-4 and 1-1 in conference play.
 
Trailing by three points midway through the opening quarter, the Cougars closed the quarter with a 13-2 run to take an eight-point lead. O'Shaughnessy drained a three-pointer and converted a three-point play, totaling eight points, while senior Jessica Wagoner (Clifton Park, N.Y.) completed a three-point play in the run. Freshman Alisa Blalock (Uniondale, N.Y.) scored in the paint to give Caldwell a 19-11 lead after the opening quarter.
 
Alliance closed the gap to 30-26 late in the second quarter. The Cougars pushed ahead with a 7-4 run to close the half. O'Shaughnessy connected on a triple, while Wagoner added four points including a jumper just before the buzzer for a 37-30 halftime lead.
 
Caldwell broke the game open in the third quarter as they outscored Alliance 23-6 to push their lead into double digits. O'Shaughnessy scored 11 points in the quarter, including two three-pointers and 5-for-5 from the free throw line, while Blalock added 10 points and a pair from downtown.
 
The Cougars led 60-36 after the third quarter and maintained their lead into the final quarter.
 
O'Shaughnessy led the way with a season-high 29 points, shooting 5-for-9 from downtown and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. She added four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Blalock tallied 15 points, six boards and five assists, while shooting 3-for-7 from behind the arc. Wagoner added 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while senior Rebecca Morrison (Ayrshire, Scotland) led the team with nine rebounds.
 
The Cougars host Felician University in a CACC contest on Tuesday, December 6 at 5:30 pm.