WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – The Monmouth University women's basketball team fell to Patriot League-favorite Bucknell in the season opener 70-32 on Tuesday night in the OceanFirst Bank Center. The Bison shot 50 percent from the floor, and held the Hawks to just 21 percent.

The Hawks drop to 0-1 on the season, and will travel to East Carolina on Friday night for another non-conference matchup.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We learned that we cannot just do things on our own, we have to stay within the structure and have discipline. We have to utilize each other offensively. All of the little things we have been talking about, they add up. They seem like little things but they are big things when they add up and that is what the score looks like when they add up. I think that it was a great learning experience in the fact that this is a long season and we can only build on this." Head Coach Jody Craig

-Bucknell opened the game on an 11-2 run, forcing Monmouth to call a timeout with 6:14 left in the first quarter.
-Despite a three-pointer from Clough, the Bison maintained a 15-6 lead after the first quarter.
-Led by four different players with six or more points, Bucknell took a 38-17 lead into halftime. Clough came up with a steal with three seconds, but missed the layup as time expired in the half.
-Bucknell opened up the third quarter on a 12-0 run, increasing its lead to 50-17. Late in the third quarter, the Bison sunk eight of nine shots, while the Hawks missed 10 straight.
-Monmouth junior Rosa Graham scored two buckets in the last 10 seconds of the third quarter, but the Bison led 59-27 at the end of three.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Freshmen Lucy Thomas, Alexa Wallace, and Allure Simmons all scored their first career points.
-Monmouth shot 2-14 (14.3%) in the first quarter, while the Bison made 6-13 (46.2%).
-From three point range, Bucknell went 8-of-17 while the Hawks made just one triple, and went nine percent from deep.
-Bucknell won the rebounding battle, 43-30

UP NEXT
The Hawks will be on the road for three straight games, beginning with East Carolina on Friday. Tip is scheduled for 5:30 PM. The Pirates hold the 2-0 series advantage.