Box Score RUTHERFORD, N.J. – North Division No. 2 seed Felician University was eliminated from the 2022 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball Championship tournament following its 62-34 quarterfinal loss to visiting Thomas Jefferson University on Tuesday evening at Job Gymnasium.
Felician completes the 26th season in program history with a won-lost record of 12-15. The Golden Falcons collected their highest victory total in eight years; they were also 12-15 in 2013-14. Felician was hosting a first-round CACC playoff game for the first time since 2012.
On Tuesday, South No. 3 seed Jefferson (22-7) held Felician to its lowest offensive output of the season. The Golden Falcons shot 26 percent from the floor, including six percent (1 for 18) from three-point range, and committed 28 turnovers.
Forward/guard Briana Lee (Jersey City, N.J./Irvington) registered nearly half of Felician's scoring total. The redshirt sophomore recorded 16 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals. Earlier in the day, Lee was announced as a First-Team All-CACC selection, the program's first such honoree in 10 years.
Sophomore Haley Meinel (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) led a balanced Jefferson offense with 14 points. Ram freshman Sam Yencha (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Holy Redeemer) (6-6 FG) had 12 points and six rebounds and sophomore Morgan Robinson (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) turned in 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Rams led, 18-5, after one period, holding Felician to a single field goal. Jefferson was on top by as many as 15 points during the second quarter before the Golden Falcons salvaged a 28-20 halftime deficit.
The visitors quickly pulled away after the break. The Rams held Felician scoreless for the first four minutes, 50 seconds, of the second half, and with 3:52 left in the third, opened up a 40-24 edge. A three-point field goal by Maeve McCann (Drexel Hill, Pa./Bonner-Prendergast) late in the period gave Jefferson a 47-28 lead, and the Rams took full control by scoring the first eight points of the fourth. The lead grew as large as 31 points during the closing minutes.
Jefferson advances to the CACC semifinals, which will be hosted by Caldwell University. The Rams face South No. 1 seed Chestnut Hill College on Saturday at 5 p.m.
The game marked the final appearance in a Felician uniform for Golden Falcon seniors Destiny Esquilin (Vineland, N.J./Vineland), Damia Jordan (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Joseph) and Niaimani Marshall (Jersey City, N.J./Suffield Academy [Conn.]).
