WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University women's basketball team dropped a 51-49 Northeast Conference decision to Central Connecticut State on Wednesday afternoon at Boylan Gym in front of a season-high 1,043. The Hawks fall to 5-9 on the season and 0-4 in the NEC while the Blue Devils improve to 8-5 and a perfect 3-0 in the league.
Central pulled out the late win when center Justina Udenze rebounded Leanne Crockett's three-pointer and scored the put back with one second left. Monmouth tied the contest at 49-49 with under a minute left when LaKia Barber (Clinton, Md./Gwynn Park) connected on a lay in before Udenze won the game for CCSU. The contest went back and forth all game long with the biggest lead for either team coming when Central took a 43-36 lead after a Shontice Simmons lay in with 6:31 left in the second half.
Central took a 24-20 lead into halftime behind a strong first half from PJ Wade, who scored nine points. Monmouth senior Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech) led the way with seven first half points while freshman Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) added six points on a pair of three-pointers.
The Hawks took a 34-33 lead in the second after an Alexis Scott (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) jumper at the 12:59 mark and a Bender free throw, but that would be their last lead of the game. The biggest play of the game for MU came when Scott got free in the right corner and drilled a three-pointer while getting fouled. The freshman completed the four-point play to cut the Central lead to 47-45 with 2:35 left, setting the stage for the game's finish.
Scott led MU with 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting and seven rebounds. Bender added 14 points, two assists and a career-high three blocked shots. Canady chipped in with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Hawks shot 29.5% for the game while CCSU shot 36.4%. MU outrebounded the Blue Devils 43-39, including a 21-13 advantage on the offensive glass. Wade and Crockett each led CCSU with 13 points and Simmons added 10.
The game was played in front 800+ local middle school students on “Books and Basketball at Boylan” Day.
Monmouth returns to action on Monday, January 12 when they travel to Brooklyn Heights for a 7:00 p.m. game at St. Francis (N.Y.).
