MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University women's basketball team used a big second half to earn a 61-46 victory over Kean University in its final regular-season non-conference game of the year Friday evening in Baldwin Gym.
 
With the victory, the Rangers (11-1) have now posted their best start through 12 games in team history.
 
Competing for the first time in 20 days, the Rangers led 25-23 at the half before opening up some breathing room in the third quarter, when they outscored the Cougars 21-12.
 
Nine different players found the scoring column for Drew, including junior forward Jamie Struble, who notched 11 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and three blocked shots. Senior guard Katrina Wojtowicz added 11 points while shooting 3-for-5 from beyond the arc while senior guard Joey Meyers contributed her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She also notched four steals to push her career total to 166, placing her in the top-10 in school history.
 
Senior guard Gwen Alberici added six points and six assists for the Rangers while freshman guard Madelyn Morgan notched six points and a season-high five steals. Freshman center Brenna Hezel grabbed a season-best seven rebounds.
 
Brittany Graff led Kean (5-7) with 11 points while Macy Seaman totaled nine points, 12 rebounds, and seven blocks.
 
After trailing for the first five minutes of the game, the Rangers took the lead when Alberici dropped in a fastbreak layup to make it 6-5 with 4:31 left in the opening quarter. It was part of a 10-0 Drew run to end the period, which included a 3-pointer from senior guard Kyra Mann, and the Rangers led 12-5 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Cougars outscored the Rangers 18-13 in the second quarter and tied the game at 23-23 on a free throw with 15 seconds left in the half. But freshman forward Gianna Pica knocked down a pair at the line with three ticks showing, giving the hosts their two-point edge at the intermission.
 
Drew led just 29-25 two minutes into the third quarter but used an 8-0 run to go up by 12. After junior center Gracie Hezel dropped in a fastbreak layup, Wojtowicz hit back-to-back 3-pointers, prompting a Kean timeout.
 
The visitors inched back to within seven later in the quarter, only to see the Rangers answer with a 7-0 surge to push their advantage to 14. Mann connected on her second 3-pointers of the game during the run and Drew led 46-35 heading into the final period.
 
The Rangers came out firing on all cylinders in the final quarter, outscoring Kean 9-0 as their lead ballooned to 20 (55-35) with 5:29 left. Four different players scored during the decisive run for Drew, and Kean was unable to get closer than 16 the rest of the way.
 
Drew returns to Landmark Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 7, when it hosts Susquehanna University at 2 p.m.