WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Senior Jamiyah Bethune (Union, NJ/Union [Penn State]) scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting and dished out a career-high eight assists as the Monmouth University women's basketball team ran past Niagara, 83-60, Sunday afternoon at the Multipurpose Activity Center. With the win, the Hawks improve to 2-4 (1-1 MAAC), while the Purple Eagles slip to 1-6 (0-2 MAAC).

Sarah Olson (Freehold, NJ/Howell [NJIT]) contributed 16 points, including 5-of-11 shooting from long range, while Tyese Purvis (Queens, NY/Francis Lewis [Monroe C.C.]) joined Bethune in scoring in double figures for a team-leading fifth time in six games this season with 13 points in her first-career start. Christina Mitchell (Baltimore, MD/MATHS) chipped in with nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while McKinzee Barker (Bomont, WV/Clay County) filled the stat sheet with eight points, six steals, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Jasmine Walker (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) came off the bench to nearly complete a double-double with eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Kaylee Stoemple led Niagara with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Sam Lapszynski added a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five blocks. Taylor McKay and Emily Granruth also contributed eight points apiece, with Granruth also grabbing seven rebounds. Jamie Sherburne chipped in with seven points and five assists.

"I think the biggest thing was we were so much more under control on the offensive end today," said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. "I feel like we've been missing some open shots, but our rhythm on those open shots today had a lot better feel to it. We made better passes, found the open spaces and were able to catch and shoot. We were really unselfish and knocked down open shots."

Monmouth started the game on fire with a 13-2 spurt. Barker scored six points in the span, while Bethune had four and Mitchell added three. The lead swelled to 15 points, 22-7, on a 6-0 Monmouth run capped by Mitchell's lay-up off a Barker inbounds pass underneath at the 1:54 mark of the first quarter.

Niagara responded with a 10-0 run to creep back to within five with 7:50 left in the second quarter. Stoemple scored eight of the 10 points. Bethune broke up the run with a three-pointer, before the Hawks gradually grew their lead to 13, 38-25, on a Purvis three with 2:38 left in the half. McKay made back-to-back long jumpers for Niagara, and after a Walker three pointer, Sherburne hit a three to make it a 41-32 Monmouth lead at the half.

Olson and Bethune led Monmouth with 10 points apiece in the first half, with Bethune also dishing out four assists and making two steals. Olson hit 3-of-6 three-point field goals. Mitchell also added nine points, six rebounds and two blocks, while Barker had six points, three steals, two assists, two blocks and two rebounds in the first half. Stoemple led Niagara with 12 points, four assists and three rebounds at the break. McKay also added eight points.

Monmouth extended to an 18-point lead, 52-34, with 11 of the first 13 points to open the third quarter. Purvis scored the first five on a putback and a three, before Bethune scored the next six on two fast-break lay-ups and two free throws while being fouled on a third fast-break opportunity. Monmouth scored the last five points of the half on an Erica Balman (Marcellus, NY/Marcellus) baby hook and a Walker three to push the lead to 20, 64-44, after three.  

It was more of the same in the fourth quarter as the Hawks outscored Niagara, 16-6, to open the period and make it a 30-point lead, 80-50, with just over four minutes remaining. Six different Hawks scored in the spurt, with Purvis contributing five points. Balman capped the run with a jumper from a step inside arc at the left wing. Niagara scored the next nine points to cut the Monmouth lead to 80-59 with 35 seconds left, but the game had long since been decided.

For the game, Monmouth outshot Niagara, 45.7 percent (32-70) to 37.7 percent (23-61) from the floor, while the Purple Eagles edged the Hawks in three-point shooting, 45.5 percent (5-11) to 44.4 percent (12-27), and from the free-throw line, 81.8 percent (9-11) to 70.0 percent (7-10). Niagara also took a 41-37 advantage on the boards. However, the Hawks turned 22 Purple Eagles turnovers into 26 points, while Niagara managed just six points off of 14 Monmouth miscues. Monmouth also enjoyed a 36-22 advantage in the paint, a 16-8 edge in second-chance points and a 17-8 cushion in bench scoring.  

The Hawks return to non-conference action Tuesday, when they travel to intrastate foe Princeton. Tip-off from Jadwin Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m.