WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Jasmine Walker (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) returned to the starting line-up and scored a season-high 16 points to pace four Hawks in double figures as the Monmouth University women's basketball team defeated St. Francis Brooklyn, 63-54, Tuesday afternoon at the MAC. With the win, Monmouth (3-7) advances to the Hawk Holiday Classic Championship Game tomorrow at 3 p.m. against La Salle (2-9). The Explorers defeated Norfolk State, 67-59, in Tuesday's opening-round game. The Terriers fall to 2-8 with the loss.

"Overall, this was our best team defensive effort," said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. "I thought our press really bothered St. Francis and led the way for our offense, where it usually has been the other way around. I'm really pleased about our defense and how we shared the ball. Four people in double digits is something we really need to be effective and pull out wins."

Walker did her damage on 7-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-5 from long range. She also grabbed five rebounds. Sarah Olson (Freehold, NJ/Howell [NJIT]) and Tyese Purvis (Queens, NY/Francis Lewis [Monroe C.C.]) added 13 points apiece, with each hitting a trio of three-point field goals. Jamiyah Bethune (Union, NJ/Union [Penn State]) made it four Hawks in double figures with 11 points to go along with a game-high seven assists. Christina Mitchell (Baltimore, MD/MATHS) also chipped in with a game-high 14 rebounds and five blocks.

Maria Palarino led St. Francis with 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including a three-pointer on her only attempt. Dana DiRenzo and Olivia Levey added eight points apiece, with DiRenzo and Leah Fechko also grabbing nine rebounds each. Fechko dished out a team-high four assists and made a game-high three steals.

Early turnovers plagued the Hawks, but Monmouth managed to keep the Terriers from creating separation. Consecutive three-pointers from Olson and Carbone gave the Hawks the lead, before Bethune's steal and fast-break lay-up at the 4:11 mark of the first quarter pushed the Hawks' lead to 10-6. The Terriers came back to tie the game twice, including a 14-14 deadlock following a DiRenzo putback at the first-quarter buzzer.

Walker opened the second quarter with a pair of jumpers to give Monmouth a four-point lead. After the teams exchanged buckets, St. Francis went on a 6-0 run capped by Levey's conversion in the post at the 5:27 mark to give the Terriers a 22-20 lead. Purvis then made the Terriers pay for consecutive second-chance opportunities, knocking down a pair of threes to stake Monmouth to another four-point lead, 26-22, with 3:00 left in the half.

Following nearly two and a half scoreless minutes, Etta Andersen converted on a driving, left-handed floater to cut the Hawks' lead to two with 34 seconds left. But Walker banked in a jumper with the shot clock sounding and four seconds left in the half to send the Hawks into the locker room with a 28-24 lead.

Purvis led the Hawks with eight points at the break, while Walker added six. Olson chipped in with five points, while Bethune had four points and six assists. Palarino and Fechko scored five points apiece for St. Francis, with Fechko also grabbing five rebounds.

After Olson knocked down a three to extend Monmouth's lead to seven, the Terriers responded with a 6-0 run to close to within one. Levey scored four points in the spurt for SFC on a putback and a jumper. After the two teams exchanged buckets in the paint, Monmouth scored five-straight on an Olson three and a Bethune driving lay-up to extend back to a six-point cushion. The quarter would end with Monmouth again leading by four, 40-36.

St. Francis again pulled to within one on a DiRenzo three from the right wing with 8:56 left. But that was the closest the Terriers would get. Purvis responded with a three and a fast-break lay-up while being fouled to spark a 6-0 Monmouth run and the closest the Terriers could draw the rest of the way was to within three. Monmouth's lead grew to as many as nine on two occasions – the first on a Mitchell putback at the 4:36 mark and again on Walker's three-pointer with 46.2 seconds left to account for the final score.

For the game, Monmouth outshot St. Francis, 40.7 percent (24-59) to 36.5 percent (23-63) from the floor, 36.0 percent (9-25) to 31.3 percent (5-16) from long range and 54.5 percent (6-11) to 33.3 percent (3-9) from the free-throw line. Monmouth also edged the Terriers on the boards, 40-39.