After a Stephanie Machin (New Providence, N.J./ New Providence) layup tied the score at 43-43 for MSU with 3:57 remaining, the Pioneers made six of eight free throws down the stretch to ice the game. Sophomore Luz Cortorreal (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) went 3-for-4 from the stripe, book-ending a 1-for-2 trip by Melissa Moore ( East Orange, N.J./North Bergen), to give William Paterson a 47-43 edge with 1:19 remaining. Another Machin score again pulled Montclair State within two (47-45, 1:01), but senior Luci Custis (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) drove the baseline and found Moore all alone under the rim, and Moore converted the easy layin with 34.4 seconds remaining (49-45). Junior Michelle Pellichero’s (Milltown, N.J./Bishop Ahr) two free throws with 1.2 seconds on the clock gave the Pioneers a final six-point margin.
The two teams shot a combined 17-of-57 (.298) in the second half and 37-for-119 (.311) overall, but it again was William Paterson’s opportunistic defense that carried the team to victory as the Pioneers forced 29 Red Hawk turnovers. William Paterson led by as many as 11 (38-27, 13:22) during the second half, but 10 unanswered points pulled Montclair back into the contest (38-37, 6:54).
Custis, the reigning NJAC Player of the Week,led the Pioneers with 13 points and six steals, followed by Pellichero with 11 tallies and six assists. Machin paced the Red Hawks with 10 points.
The Pioneers will return to action Saturday, Dec. 9, at Rutgers-Camden at 1:00 p.m.