BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team shot 67.9 percent
(19-28) from the floor in the second half to turn an eight-point early
second-half deficit into a 10-point victory over LIU Brooklyn, 67-57, Saturday
afternoon at the Wellness Center. For the game, the Hawks (8-8, 3-2 NEC) shot a
season-high 53.6 percent (30-56) to earn their fifth straight victory. The
Blackbirds fall to 13-4 (2-3 NEC), including their first loss in eight home
games this season.
Carly Thibault
(East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) scored a game-high 14 points for the Hawks,
shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor and 4-for-4 from long range. Gena
Broadus (Washington, D.C./Archbishop Carroll [George Mason]) compiled her first
career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Chevannah Paalvast (Auckland,
New Zealand/Massey) added 12 points, while Abby Martin (Maplewood,
N.J./Columbia) chipped in all of her 10 points in the second half. Alexis
Canady (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) contributed four points, six assists
and four steals for the Hawks.
Ashley Palmer and
Ebony Davis led LIU Brooklyn with 13 points apiece, while Cleandra Roberts had
11 points. Palmer completed a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds.
After the
Blackbirds added to a six-point halftime lead on Palmer's jumper to open the
second half, the Hawks sprinted to a 10-0 run to take a 34-32 lead. Martin
scored the last eight points for the Hawks. The Blackbirds retook the lead
after Palmer scored a bucket and Davis made two free throws. Thibault gave the
Hawks a one-point cushion with a trifecta, before a Davis basket gave the
Blackbirds their last lead of the game, 38-37, with 12:37 left in regulation.
Betsy Gadziala's (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) bucket at the 10:44 mark put the
Hawks on top for good. The Hawks went on a 12-0 run to take a 56-42 lead at the
5:45 mark and the MU lead never again closed to fewer than nine points.
The Hawks didn't
allow a Blackbirds field goal for nearly five minutes of game time on two
different occasions in the second half. For the half, the Hawks held LIU
Brooklyn to just eight field goals and 32.0 percent shooting (8-25).
After Paalvast
connected on a three-pointer to open the first-half scoring, LIU Brooklyn
responded with a 10-0 run to take a 10-3 lead. MU immediately responded with
seven straight points to tie the game, 10-10, including five straight from
Thibault to cap the run. The Blackbirds seized momentum in the late stages of
the first half and took a 30-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
For the game, the
Hawks outshot the Blackbirds, 53.6 percent (30-56) to 40.4 percent (21-52) from
the floor and 54.5 percent (6-11) to 20.0 percent (1-5) from long range. The
Blackbirds took an 87.5 percent (14-16) to 25.0 percent (1-4) edge from the
free-throw line and a 32-29 advantage on the boards.
The Hawks return
to Brooklyn for a Monday matinee against St. Francis (N.Y.). Opening tip from Peter
Aquilone Court is scheduled for 2 p.m.
