The College of the Staten Island women's basketball program got started in the right direction on Wednesday night, turning back the New Jersey City University by a 75-58 count in the non-conference season-opener for both sides played in Jersey City. The Dolphins are now 1-0 this season, while the Gothic Knights fell to 0-1.

In what proved to be a defensive struggle for the opening 20 minutes, the Dolphins took a 28-20 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Dolphins, who never trailed in the game, took a 13-6 lead at the 14:16 mark on a Danielle McLaughlin jumper that capped a quick 5-0 CSI spurt. The teams then struggled going a combined 5-for-24 from the floor with 12 turnovers over the next seven minutes, as NJCU whittled the lead to 17-14 with 7:06 to go.

From there, however, CSI went on an 11-4 run over the next six-plus minutes, highlighted by a pair of McLaughlin and a three-point play by sophomore Anika Antoine.

The shooting woes weren't as apparent in the second half, as the game opened up and featured 85 points between the sides; almost double the first-half output. CSI started the stanza with a 10-2 run, marked by back-to-back three's by Norah Marley and Allie Shanahan. After NJCU cut the lead to 38-28 at the 15:40 mark on an Ebony Cunningham lay-in, CSI turned on the jets for another 12-4 run spanning the next four minutes, highlighted by back-to-back fast break layups by Shanahan, who finished with a game-high 22 markers.

CSI ballooned their lead to as many as 23 points, 61-38, with 7:01 to play, and seemed to be in full control. The Knights did not go down without a fight, however, as a run of their own got CSI's lead down to as few as 14, 68-54, but with just 1:39 remaining. CSI made three of four free-throws down the stretch to seal the deal, 75-58.

CSI shot a crisp 18-of-39 in the second stanza, including a 3-for-7 clip from downtown after shooting 0-for-4 from behind the arc in the first half.

Besides Shanahan, CSI's McLaughlin finished in double digits with 11 points, while freshman Katelyn Hepworth led all scorers with 14 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass. NJCU was led by Cunningham's 13 points, while Kiara Denson and Miesha Cook finished with 9 caroms apiece.

Next for CSI will be a trip to Amherst, Massachusetts to take part in the Amherst Tip-Off Tournament this weekend. CSI will draw Western Connecticut State at 8pm on Saturday for the first leg of play.