Box Score

NEWARK, NJ—Senior forward Tressa Beckel recorded a double-double 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead visiting Chicago State, who clinched the outright conference title, in its 66-43 women's basketball win over NJIT Saturday afternoon as the teams met in the final regular season contest of 2010-11.

Beckel, one of two double-figure scorers for Chicago State, had help from senior guard Courtney Waldon's 17 points, as the Cougars improved to 20-9 overall, and 11-1 in the Great West Conference.  Chicago State is 14-1 in the last 15 games going back to January 6.  The rebounding leader for the game was senior center Caila Desroches, with 13 in 18 minutes of action off the bench.

NJIT closes the regular season with an overall record of 7-20, including a 3-9 record in the Great West.

Both teams will participate in the Great West Conference postseason tournament, to be contested March 9 to 12 on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, UT.  Chicago State, as the top seed, receives a first-round bye.

NJIT got team-high totals of 12 points from senior guard Jessica Gerald, who was honored with teammate Ivana Seric in pregame senior day ceremonies.  Seric and freshman center Kristian Parker added 10 points apiece for the Highlanders.  Parker's 10 points is a new career-high surpassing her old mark of nine at Houston Baptist on February 17.  Sophomore forward Rayven Johnson grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Chicago State, which never trailed, scored the first four points of the game and later pushed its advantage to 24-5 on a jumper by Beckel in the paint with 10:20 left in the first half.  By the end of the half, Chicago State led, 31-12.

Beckel had 18 points at the break to lead the Chicago State, which got six points from Waldon and four points from three different Cougars.  NJIT's halftime scoring leader was Seric with six and Emily Schartner with three.

The Highlanders scored the first six points of the second half, two from Gerald, which came at the free throw line and four from Parker, making the score 37-18.

The Cougars pushed its advantage to high of 37 in the second half, on a fast break layup by Tressa for a 59-22 lead with 11:23 remaining.

NJIT, which did not show offensive consistency until well into the second half, outscored Chicago State the rest of the way, 21-7, but it was too late.