Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (4-0, 1-0 NJAC) squandered an early 22-point lead but closed the game with an 11-1 run for a 70-64 victory over Rowan University (2-2, 0-1 NJAC). Five Ospreys went for double figures and Stockton overcame 37 turnovers to triumph in the wild NJAC opener.
Najha Treadwell (Cinnaminson/Cinnaminson) scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Sasha Williams (Cherry Hill/CH West) did a little bit of everything and nearly registered a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, game highs of 16 rebounds, nine blocks and five assists plus two steals.
Lea Mendolla (Nutley/Mount St. Dominic) tallied 12 points, seven rebounds and a team-high four steals. Freshman point guards
Sammi Dabbundo (Philadelphia, PA/Bishop Eustace) and
Hailee Porricelli (Howell/Freehold Twp.) reached double digits for the first time in their young careers with 13 and 10 points respectively. Dabbundo went 3-5 from three-point range.
Porricelli sank her first three three-point attempts and Stockton scored the last 13 points of the first quarter, six by Mendolla, for a commanding 30-10 lead. The margin was 22 at 39-17 after a jumper by Treadwell midway through the second period. Although Rowan closed the gap a little, the Ospreys still led 41-24 at the break behind 12 first-half points by Mendolla.
The momentum swung during a disastrous third quarter in which Stockton shot just 3-13 (23.1%), committed 14 turnovers and was outscored 24-7. The Ospreys went scoreless for the last six minutes of the period and found themselves tied 48-48 as Rowan reeled off 15 straight points.
Stockton's woes continued early in the fourth quarter as the Profs used an 8-2 spurt to build a 56-50 lead with eight minutes to play. Trailing 63-59 with 3:44 remaining, the Ospreys scored 11 of the last 12 points to snatch the victory.
Two free throws by Dabbundo got Stockton within 64-63 and Treadwell followed with a layup that gave the Ospreys the lead for good at 65-64 with 1:11 on the clock. A steal and layup by Williams made it 67-64 and Treadwell scored three points in the last 17 seconds for the 70-64 final.
Stockton will get a break for Thanksgiving and return to action with an NJAC game at The College of New Jersey on November 29 at 6 pm.
