The TCNJ women’s basketball team was narrowly defeated by Stevens, 76-74, after a last-second shot in their non-conference matchup on Saturday in Ewing, New Jersey. The Lions managed to erase a late deficit with five straight points in the final minute, tying the game at 74 before Olivia Schubiger of Stevens made a buzzer-beating basket to secure the win.
Maddie Bernhardt led all players with 21 points for TCNJ, marking her second game this season scoring more than 20 points. Amanda Baylock contributed 18 points, Brooke McFadden added 14 along with a game-high 12 rebounds for her second career double-double, and Katie Fricker finished with 12 points. McFadden and Baylock each had five assists.
TCNJ started strong, taking an early lead following two separate five-point runs and expanding their advantage to 22-10 late in the first quarter after three consecutive three-pointers from Baylock and teammate Kowalski. Stevens responded by closing the quarter on a run of their own to reduce TCNJ’s lead to seven.
Stevens continued their momentum into the second quarter and eventually overtook TCNJ. The Lions relied heavily on free throws during this period but entered halftime trailing by two.
The third quarter featured six ties as both teams exchanged leads. A run by McFadden gave TCNJ a narrow edge heading into the fourth quarter at 55-54.
In the final period, Schubiger opened scoring for Stevens and later delivered the deciding basket as time expired. Despite efforts from Bernhardt and McFadden to tie the game in its closing moments, TCNJ could not secure victory.
Statistically, TCNJ shot 38.3 percent from the field (23-60), made nine out of twenty-five three-point attempts (36 percent), and converted nearly sixty-eight percent of their free throws (19-28). Stevens posted higher percentages overall: forty-five percent shooting (29-64) from the floor and nearly forty-seven percent from beyond the arc (7-15). The Lions forced fifteen turnovers from Stevens and turned those into fifteen points while also dominating fastbreak opportunities by an eighteen-to-six margin.
Bernhardt’s performance was just one point shy of her career high set earlier this season. She has now hit multiple three-pointers in back-to-back games. McFadden achieved new personal bests for both points scored and assists while earning another double-double. Baylock remains consistent offensively with double-digit scoring in every game so far this season.
For Stevens, Schubiger led her team with sixteen points—half coming in the final quarter—and Ceejay Thomas provided key support off the bench with thirteen points and nine rebounds over sixteen minutes played.
TCNJ will begin conference play against William Paterson on Tuesday, November 25.
