Bridgewater, Va. (Nov. 12, 2023) - Alvernia University (2-1) jumped out to a 20-9 lead and never looked back as the Golden Wolves defeated Rutgers Newark (1-2), 81-49, in non-conference women's basketball action at the Bridgewater Tip-Off Tournament. 

Alvernia held the Scarlet Raiders to single digits in the first and third quarters. Rutgers-Newark outscored Alvernia by two in the fourth quarter, 22-20, but never threatened the Golden Wolves. 

After a scoreless opening two minutes, Alvernia got on the board with a Kayla Williams layup and took a 7-2 lead following a Meaghan Ruth jumper and Taliyah Malone three. Two more threes - one from Jordan Karmonick and one from Tamia Wessels - pushed Alvernia's lead to 13-2 with 4:41 to play in the first quarter.

Alvernia capped off the opening quarter with another Malone 3-pointer and a layup from Kylie Bradford to take a 20-9 lead into the second frame.

Alvernia's lead remained at 11 through the first four minutes of the second quarter until a Wessels' layup made it a 24-11 game. Later in the quarter, Alvernia pushed its lead to 16, 30-14, on a Williams' layup with 2:25 to play in the half. The Raiders got a few back over the next two minutes, but Alvernia scored the final three points of the half to take a 35-20 lead into the break.

The Golden Wolves came out of the half and scored a quick five points off of two free throws by Williams and another three from Malone. Rutgers got on the board for the half on a made free throw, but was held to just that one point while Alvernia stayed hot in the opening minutes. A Wessels three and Ruth layup built Alvernia's lead up to 24, 45-21, with 7:40 to play in the third quarter. 

Two more 3-pointers by Alvernia - one off the hands of Wessels and the other from Williams - pushed Alvernia's lead to 28, 51-23, with 5:51 to play in the third. A steal and layup by Bradford then made it a 30-point game with 4:45 to play in the quarter.

Alvernia continued to roll and made it a 34 point game, 61-27, with 2:07 to play in the third frame following 3-pointers by Karmonick and Jordyn Ingelido and a layup from Wessels. 

Neither team would score the rest of the quarter as Alvernia took the 34 point lead into the final frame.

Alvernia built its lead up to as much as 37, 69-32, off a Morgan Janeski layup with seven minutes to play. The Raiders never got closer than 32 the rest of the way as Alvernia came away with the 81-49 win.

Williams led Alvernia with 20 points and eight rebounds. Wessels had 16 points - with 12 coming off of 3-pointers, and Malone finished with ten. A total of 11 players finished with at least two points. Karmonick finished with a team-high seven assists as the Golden Wolves finished with 25 total assists.

Alvernia is back in action on Wednesday at William Paterson.