EMMITSBURG, Md. ? The Monmouth University women's basketball team hung on for a 52-49 Northeast Conference victory over Mount St. Mary's on Saturday afternoon at Knott Arena. The Hawks have now won four straight league games to improve to 9-9 overall and 4-4 in the league while Mount falls to 7-10 and 2-6 in the conference.
With the contest tied at 41-41 with 5:45 remaining, freshman Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) drilled a three-pointer from the left wing to give Monmouth a three-point lead that it would not relinquish. Canady would then help ice the contest with six free throws down the stretch as she scored all nine of her points in the game's final five and a half minutes.
"The freshmen showed great poise and composure down the stretch," said Monmouth head coach Stephanie V. Gaitley. "AC (Alexis Canady) and Scottie (Alexis Scott) made big plays that influenced the outcome of the game today. When we were 0-4 in the league we were the hunter, now after four straight wins we are the hunted and we need to come out hungry every game. Mount played hungry today, they matched us on the boards but we were able to win despite committing turnovers and being outhustled at times. Good teams find a way to win and we are peaking at the right time. These kinds of games will make us better down the stretch."
The Hawks took an 8-7 lead after senior guard Marisa Jimenez (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) drilled a jumper from the left elbow with 11:08 left in the first half. Monmouth increased their advantage to 12-7 after Jimenez drove and found fellow senior LaKia Barber (Clinton, Md./Gwynn Park) with a bounce pass for the basket at the 8:56 mark of the opening half.
After the Mount took a one-point lead at 15-14, the Hawks rattled off six straight, including four from freshman guard Alexis Scott (Somerset, N.J./Franklin), to take a 20-15 lead with 3:54 left before halftime. MU took a 23-17 lead in to the locker room at the half thanks to nine points in the first half from senior Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech) and eight points from Scott. Jimenez added two points and four assists in the first half for Monmouth.
The Hawks continued their hot-shooting in the first half, hitting 47.8% of their first-half field goals, while limiting Mount to 27.3% (6-22) field goals in the opening half. MU forced 14 Mountaineer's turnovers and converted them into 12 points in the first 20 minutes. Leah Westbrooks led MSM with eight first half points.
Bender gave MU a 28-17 lead less than a minute into the second half, and also cracked into double figures in scoring for the 14th time this season, after converting a traditional three-point play with 19:02 left in the game. The Mount cut into MU's lead after four straight free throws from Brianna Gauthier made the score 28-23 with 16:43 left in the game. Mount's Hassanah Oliver then swiped the ball from Jimenez at halfcourt and converted the lay in to cut the Monmouth lead to 30-27 with 14:08 left in the game.
After Mount cut Monmouth's lead to one at 30-29, the Hawks regained their advantage at 38-33 after Scott glided in for a layup with 8:50 left in the game. The hosts again the Hawks lead to one at 38-37 after Gauthier scored on a slashing move and basket with 8:00 left in the contest. The two teams traded baskets over the next four minutes and the Hawks still held a slim 44-43 lead with 3:53 left in the game.
Scott led Monmouth with 14 points and three steals in the game. The senior duo of Barber and Bender each scored 12 points apiece while Jimenez added five assists. The Hawks shot 42.2% in the game while holding MSM to 28.3% field goal shooting for the game. MU shot a perfect 13-of-13 from the free throw line for the contest while the Mount made 22-of-26 from the charity stripe. Gauthier led the Mount with 15 points while Westbrooks scored 14.
Monmouth returns to action on Monday, January 26 when they host Long Island at 7:00 p.m.
