News Release

UNION, N.J. — Sophomore guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, NJ/Union Hill) recorded a career high 33 points, including a record-setting nine three-pointers, as the Kean University women’s basketball team defeated visiting Rutgers University-Camden, 82-48, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game Wednesday evening at Harwood Arena.
With her 27 point performance from behind the arc, Beyruti broke two Kean University women’s basketball program records. Her record nine treys broke the previous mark of eight set by Janae Brumby in the 2003-2004 season. She also set the new standard for three-pointers in a season, breaking her own record set last season of 63. Beyruti currently has 70 this year.
The Cougars, who are ranked No. 21 nationally in both the d3hoops.com and the USA Today ESPN Top 25 polls, improved to 17-1 overall and 7-0 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden fell to 6-11 and 1-6.
Kean scored the first basket of the game and never trailed, building a 28-20 halftime lead. Beyruti led the way for Kean with eight points while senior Chi Clark (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) chipped in with five points and five rebounds. For the Scarlet Raptors, junior guard Imani Hafiz (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) recorded six points and seven rebounds while junior guard Carmen Oyola (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton) and sophomore forward Crystal Pezzano (Brockton, MA/Brockton) each had five.
The Cougars outscored the Raptors, 54-28, in the second half as they shot 21-for-45 (46.7 percent) from the floor in the final 20 minutes, including 7-for-16 (43.8) from three-point range. The Cougars extended their lead early in the second half on a 17-2 run during a span of 3:30. Beyruti led the attack with a trey at 17:11 and contributed six points in the span. Junior Chari’ Cooper (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) also recorded six points in the run.
Cooper finished the night with a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Clark recorded her own double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Hafiz led the Raptors with 18 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Senior forward Karen Carter (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) added six points to pass the 400-point plateau for her career, climbing to 404. Junior guard Krystal Jankowski (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) passed the 400-rebound plateau for her career, grabbing six boards to lift her total to 401.
The Scarlet Raptors will host conference rival Ramapo College Saturday at 1 p.m. The Cougars will travel to William Paterson University for a 3 p.m. NJAC game the same day.