WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team, paced by four players in double figures, defeated future Northeast Conference member Bryant 67-49 on Monday evening at Boylan Gym. Monmouth has won two straight by an average of 17.5 points to improve to 12-11 overall, while Bryant falls to 6-16 in their first season in Division I.
“I think it's important that our kids are starting to play with a sense of confidence,” said Monmouth head coach Stephanie V. Gaitley. “This was a big statement game and I thought our team responded very well.”
The Hawks led bell to bell against the Bulldogs, and MU's advantage grew to as many as 24 points midway through the second half.
Monmouth raced out to an 11-5 lead after senior Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech) converted a traditional three-point play with 15:53 remaining in the first half. The Hawks extended their lead to 18-7 with less than 12 minutes to play after senior Marisa Jimenez (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) stole the ball, raced down court, ball faked and converted the lay in.
Through the game's first 10 minutes, each team had taken 18 shots, with MU converting 10 field goals (55.6%) compared to Bryant's four buckets (22.2%). MU maintained its double-digit advantage at 24-12 with 6:08 left in the first half after senior LaKia Barber (Clinton, Md. /Gwynn Park) converted a pair of free throws. Senior Marbely Montas (Cranford, N.J./Elizabeth) drilled a jumper from the right elbow to push MU's lead to 32-18 with two minutes remaining before halftime.
The Hawks took a 36-20 lead into intermission, led by Barber's 12 points and six rebounds. Bender added eight first half points and four rebounds, Jimenez contributed six points, six assists and three steals and Montas chipped in with two points, five rebounds and two assists. MU shot 41.2% in the half and connected on 8-of-9 free throws. Bryant shot 25.8% in the first half and was paced Kelsey O'Keefe's five points. Bryant displayed some depth in the first half as 11 Bulldogs played, with seven cracking into the scoring column.
Consecutive three-pointers from Jimenez and freshman Alexis Scott (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) pushed Monmouth's lead to 52-31, its largest of the game to that point, with 12:07 left in the second half. The Hawks' advantage would swell to as many as 24 points with 9:15 left in contest.
MU was paced by Bender's fifth double of the season, and the 20th of the senior's career, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Two other seniors, Barber and Jimenez, just missed out on double-doubles. Barber equaled Bender's 16-point performance, pulling down nine rebounds, while Jimenez scored 13 points for the second straight game and dished out nine assists against no turnovers. The senior from Carteret, N.J., who became the seventh Hawk ever to log at least 10 assists in a game last time out, added four rebounds and four steals. Scott added 14 points and Montas chipped in with four points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Hawks also committed a season-low eight turnovers, while dishing out 16 assists. MU shot 38.7% from the floor for the game and hit 88.2% (15-of-17) of their free throws in the contest.
Bryant shot 30.5% from the field for the game and was led by O'Keefe's 14 points. Kristin Mraz added nine points and Lindsey Hudspeth scored eight and pulled down four rebounds.
Monmouth, which has now won more games (12) than they did all of last season (11), returns to action on Saturday, February 14 when they host Mount St. Mary's on National Girls and Women in Sports Day at 3:00 pm.
