CALDWELL, N.J.- Caldwell University women's basketball graduate Shanice Graves (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior Paula Dits (Alicante, Spain) each scored 19 points to lead the Cougars to a 73-65 win against Nyack College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.
 
The Cougars improve to 12-10 overall and 7-5 in the CACC, while the Warriors fall to 5-12 and 4-8 in conference play. 
 
Caldwell jumped out to a 13-9 lead late in the first quarter as Dits netted six points in the early going. The Warriors battled back to pull ahead 24-18 with 6:16 left in the second quarter.
 
The Cougars answered with a 17-5 runs as junior Rebecca Morrison (Ayrshire, Scotland) and junior Casey O'Shaughnessy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each scored five points in the run. Dits capped the run with a triple at the 1:52 mark to put Caldwell ahead 35-29. Nyack netted the final seven points to take a 36-35 lead at halftime.
 
Nyack pulled ahead 49-44 midway through the third quarter before the Cougars rallied back. Caldwell battled back with a 16-4 run as Graves netted seven points in the run, including a triple. Junior Jessica Wagoner (Clifton Park, N.Y.) capped the run with a three-point play with 6:42 left in the game to put the Cougars in the lead at 60-53. Caldwell maintained their lead down the stretch to earn the victory.
 
Graves led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Dits shot 9-for-11 from the field, finishing with 19 points and six boards. O'Shaughnessy added 12 points and three rebounds, while Wagoner led the team with eight boards and three blocks.
 
The Cougars host Chestnut Hill College for a CACC contest on Saturday, February 12 at 1 pm. Saturday's game will feature the return of Caldwell Athletics "Super Saturday" Alumni event.