Marist Red Foxes (14-3, 7-1 MAAC) – 74
Monmouth Hawks (5-14, 2-8 MAAC) – 53
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – A 16-0 second half run propelled Marist over the Monmouth University women's basketball team on Saturday, 74-53.
 
The Hawks connected on a layup to cut the deficit to 45-43 with 4:30 left in the third quarter, but the Red Foxes answered with the big run to seal the win.  
 
Monmouth registered its second-best shooting percentage of the season, ending with 45.7% (21-46).
 
Sophomore Lucy Thomas (Ocean, NJ/St. Rose) led the team with 16 points and six rebounds, with 11 points coming in the second quarter.
 
Senior Alexa Middleton (Philadelphia, PA/Abington Friends) added 14 points and six rebounds in the loss, going 5-of-9 from the floor.
 
Monmouth falls to 5-14 (2-8 MAAC) on the season, and head to Rider next Saturday.  
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"I thought we did a better job with shot selection in the first half. It was the best half we've shot percentage-wise in a while. In the second half, Marist stepped up. They read screens better and made us pay for how we were playing defensively. They took it to another level, and we didn't respond to that in terms of our technique or energy. I felt better about our overall play compared to the last couple of games." - Monmouth Head Coach Jody Craig
 
-Marist jumped out to a 10-2 lead, including two triples. Monmouth answered with a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to three.
-The Hawks got to within two late in the first, but Marist hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer from just inside half court. Heading into the second, the Red Foxes led 16-11.
-Thomas made three straight baskets midway through the second, cutting the deficit to 25-21.
-Monmouth tied the game after five more points from Thomas and four free throws. At the break, the teams were locked at 30.
-Marist scored 13 points in the first 3:09 of the third quarter to go ahead 43-35. Monmouth answered out of the timeout with an 8-2 run.
-After Monmouth cut the deficit to two, Marist ended the third quarter on a 10-0 run. Heading into the final frame, the Red Foxes led 55-43.
-Six straight points in the fourth quarter got Marist's run up to 16-0.
-A three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining gave the Red Foxes their largest lead at 23. Senior Akilah Jennings scored a layup with time expiring, and Marist eventually took the 74-53 win.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Middleton moved up to 4^th all-time with 804 career rebounds. In 10 MAAC games, Middleton is averaging 12.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest.
-In the second quarter, Thomas scored 11 points on 5-5 from the floor. She scored in double-figures for the seventh time in the last nine games. In 10 conference games, Thomas is averaging 14.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
-In the second and third quarters, Monmouth shot 13-22 (59.0%).
-Marist went 12-23 from three-point range, and held Monmouth to 2-14.
-The Hawks had a 30-22 advantage for points in the paint.
-Adding three more today, senior Rosa Graham's 251 career assists rank 14^th all-time.
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will travel to Rider next Saturday for a 2 PM matchup. The Hawks hold a 29-18 all-time series lead, but the Broncs have won five of the last six meetings.