SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team was defeated by Syracuse University from the BIG EAST, 77-53 in the National Invitation Tournament First Round on Thursday evening at the Carrier Dome. The Hawks, who led 33-31 at halftime, end the season with a 23-10 record, which ties the program record for most wins in a season. The Orange improves to 23-9 with the win and advance to face the winner of the St. Bonaventure-Lehigh game.
MU shot 7-of-17 from three-point range in the first half en route to taking a two-point intermission lead. However, the Orange used a 33-8 run that spanned from the end of the first half into the second period to take command of the game.
Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) led the way with 13 points, including eight in the first half. Gena Broadus (Washington, D.C. /Archbishop Carroll [George Mason]) added nine points and three rebounds, while Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) contributed seven points and four assists.
SU was paced by Kayla Alexander's 26 points, while Carmen Tyson-Thomas and Iasia Hemingway added 15 points apiece.
The Hawks trailed by a point, 6-5 at the first media timeout with 15:21 showing after Womack drilled a three and Broadus connected on a hoop in the lane. Canady rattled through consecutive three-pointers to give MU a 13-9 lead with 12:45 left in the first half.
Gabby Singer (Harrisburg, Pa. /Central Dauphin) swished through a triple to push Monmouth's lead to 18-11 midway through the opening period. Broadus drilled a baseline jumper to put MU up 22-11 with 8:48 remaining in the opening half.
Alexander continued her hot half, cutting Monmouth's lead to 25-20 with 5:31 left before halftime. Carly Thibault (East Lyme, Conn. /East Lyme) hit her second three-pointer of the half to increase the Hawks' lead to 33-25 with 2:50 remaining the first half.
Syracuse ended the half on a 6-0 scoring run to cut the Hawks' lead to 33-31 at halftime. The Hawks shot 41.2% from three-point range in the first half, led by two triples apiece from Canady and Thibault. Alexander led the Orange, which shot 50% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, with 11 points.
The Orange took their first lead since they were up 7-5 with 15:05 showing in the first half when Alexander's short jumper with 18:08 left in the game made it 36-35. The host's extended their lead to 46-39 after a pair of Alexander free throws with 14:34 left in regulation.
SU continued its scoring run, which reached 33-8 from the 2:50 mark of the first half, to take a 58-41 lead with 7:40 left in the contest.
