UNION, N.J. (November 13, 2021)  – Senior Jess Broad netted eight points with nine rebounds, classmate Meghan Douglas added a career-high 12 points, and the Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team defeated Kean University 66-48 Saturday, in the championship game of the Kean Classic at Harwood Arena.

Broad filled the stat sheet in the championship game, adding five assists, two steals and a block. The Marlboro, New Jersey native averaged 14 points and 10 boards over the two-day event to take host Most Valuable Player honors. She was joined on the Kean Classic All-Tournament Team by junior Danielle Cornetta, who averaged 13 and 7.

Senior Allie Moss had 11 points and three steals and Cornetta finished with eight points and seven rebounds for the Ducks, who won their second straight to improve to 2-1. The victory over the Cougars was the first for the Ducks since at least 2005. 

Shannon McCoy and Brittany Graff each had 14 points for the hosting Cougars, who fell to 1-3. Graff joined Broad and Cornetta on the All-Tournament Team.

Although Kean won the tip, it was the Ducks that got on the board first. Broad snagged her first rebound of the day after McCoy's three-point attempt was off and found a streaking Cornetta for a transition basket. McCoy put Kean on the board with a fastbreak layup of her own before the Cougars grabbed their only lead of the game at 4-2 after a Graff bucket.

The Ducks applied heavy pressure on the Cougars, forcing nine straight misses and four turnovers over the next eight minutes, allowing Stevens to go on a 9-0 run to take control of the contest. The Ducks forced 20 turnovers on the afternoon, including a combined 12 from McCoy and Graff.

Although the Ducks held a five-point lead at halftime, it was the third quarter that proved to be the decisive stretch. Senior Vanessa Elliott opened scoring with a short jumper, which sparked an 8-0 run. There was an assist on each of the four baskets during the sequence, with Moss accounting for two of the four. 

The Ducks would push their lead to 13 after senior Keeley Coval fed Broad for a mid-range jumper and grew their lead to 18 on a three-pointer from first-year Lucy Alberici. Alberici finished with a career-high nine points of 4 of 7 shooting. As a team the Ducks shot 27 for 61 (.443) to mark the best statistical shooting percentage for the team since recording a .457 (21 for 46) from the floor in the season-opening victory over Western Connecticut on Nov. 12, 2019.

An aggressive Stevens defense did not allow Kean to compile more than five baskets in any quarter.

Inside the Numbers

• Stevens finished with 13 steals. Douglas, Moss and Cornetta each nabbed three. 
• Broad's block was the only recorded by the Ducks. She finished the tournament with three.
• Eight different student-athletes scored and grabbed at least one rebound.
• Cornetta has pulled down exactly seven rebounds in all three games this season.
• The Ducks held a 25-17 advantage in points off turnovers. 
• Stevens held a commanding 50-30 edge in rebounding, which included an 18-9 margin on the offensive glass. The Ducks grabbed 50 or more boards four times in 2019-20.
• The Ducks achieved a 38-28 advantage in points in the paint. 
• Through three games, Douglas has more than doubled her career scoring average.

Unsung Hero

• Senior Amber Porrett came off the bench to score six points on 2 for 3 shooting, while also pulling down four rebounds and nabbing two steals. 

From the Court - Head Coach Megan Haughey

• "Total team effort and win today. Our assists, ball movement and working together on both sides of the floor were excellent. We focused on the boards and I was proud of our fight when runs were made. We adjusted and responded with some great ball sharing and stops."    

Up Next

• Women's basketball heads to Ewing, New Jersey to take on The College of New Jersey on Nov. 17. 
• The teams have split eight meetings since 2009 and have alternated wins and losses over the last four meetings. 
• Live stats and video links are available on StevensDucks.com.

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