Niagara Purple Eagles (5-10, 3-3 MAAC) – 73
Monmouth Hawks (5-12, 2-6 MAAC) – 70
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Senior Sierra Green (Queens, NY/Francis Lewis/Monroe CC) made a trio of three-pointers with less than a minute remaining, but Niagara hung on to defeat the Monmouth University women's basketball team on Saturday, 73-70.
 
Green's triples came in a span of 24 seconds, but the Purple Eagles answered with a late layup from senior Jai Moore, who ended with 32 points.
 
Senior Alexa Middleton registered a double-double in the first three quarters, ending with 14 points and a season-high 18 rebounds.
 
Sophomore Lucy Thomas (Ocean, NJ/St. Rose) scored 17 points (7-13 FG) to go along with six rebounds in the loss. 
 
Monmouth falls to 5-12 (2-6 MAAC) on the season, and will travel to Siena next Thursday.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"We paid for trying to play too fast today. Giving up 31 points off turnovers is completely unacceptable, and it's impossible to win a game giving the other team that many opportunities. We have to be better. We just seem to be stubborn in our learning process right now." - Monmouth head coach Jody Craig
 
-Monmouth jumped out to an early 9-0 lead, capped by a Thomas triple.
-Niagara's Moore scored seven points in 39 seconds, cutting the Purple Eagles' deficit to 14-12.
-The Purple Eagles ended the first quarter on a 14-3 run, taking a 19-17 lead into the second.
-A 6-0 run towards the end of the second gave Monmouth a 29-28 lead. Each team scored four points after that, and the Hawks took a 33-32 lead into halftime.
-Midway through the third, Niagara's Moore scored on back-to-back fast break layups. The run eventually got up to 8-0, and the Purple Eagles went up 45-40.
-Niagara outscored Monmouth 21-12 in the third quarter, and led by eight heading into the fourth.
-After a scoring drought that lasted 3:54, senior Akilah Jennings drilled a three-pointer to make it 61-53.
-Thomas scored six straight points, including two layups and two free throws to make it 64-61 with 1:20 left.
-Green buried three triples in a span of 24 seconds, the last one making it 71-70 with 14 seconds left.  
-Moore connected on a late layup to seal the three-point win for the Purple Eagles.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Middleton flew up to 5^th all-time with 787 career rebounds. She registered her fifth double-double of the season, and 16^th of her career. In eight MAAC games, Middleton is averaging 11.5 points and 10.9 rebounds per contest
-Thomas scored in double-figures for the sixth time this season, and fifth in the last seven games. In eight conference games, she is averaging 14.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
-With four more today, Green ranks 8^th all-time for career three-pointers (142).  
-Monmouth went 28-64 (43.8%) from the floor.
-The Hawks turned the ball over 25 times, compared to Niagara's 10.
-Jennings contributed nine points, five assists, and three rebounds.
-Freshman Saule Kaupyte grabbed a season-high nine rebounds.
-Redshirt sophomore Jen Louro added eight points on two three-pointers.
-Adding two more today, senior Rosa Graham's 246 career assists rank t-15^th all-time. 
-Niagara held an 18-0 advantage in fast break points.
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will travel to Siena next Thursday. The Saints hold a slight 11-10 all-time series lead. The teams split last season, including a 56-54 Monmouth overtime win on the road.