#10 Monmouth Hawks (9-21) – 69
#7 Iona Gaels (9-21) -  60
 
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Behind a season-high 26 points from senior Sierra Green (Queens, NY/Francis Lewis/Monroe CC) and a strong day from the free throw line, the #10 Monmouth University women's basketball team defeated #7 Iona in the first round of the MAAC Championships, 69-60.
 
The Hawks went 21-29 (72.4%) from the line, including 19-25 (76%) in the fourth quarter alone.
 
Green buried her first six three-point attempts, and went 6-for-6 from the stripe in the fourth quarter.
 
Senior Akilah Jennings (San Jose, CA/Presentation/UC Santa Barbara) added 15 points in the win, including nine in the final frame.
 
Senior Rosa Graham (Rochester, NY/) registered 12 points on the day in addition to four assists and three steals.
 
Monmouth advances to the MAAC Quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season, and will face No. 2 Marist tomorrow at 3:30 PM.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"We've relied on our defense for the entire year. The difference today is that we made our free throws down the stretch. It gives you that separation and confidence to close it out. Iona is a gritty team and we knew it was going to be a 40-minute game. It doesn't matter what the score was, that team is not going to quit. It took the entire game for us to get this win, and I'm glad we did."  - Monmouth head coach Jody Craig
 
-Iona scored the first point of the game on a free throw with 6:55 left in the first quarter.
-Monmouth led 4-1 at the first quarter media timeout (4:52) after a jumper from Green and two free throws from Graham.
-The Gaels ended the opening frame on a 7-0 run, taking an 11-7 lead heading into the second.
-Monmouth scored the first 12 points of the second quarter to regain the lead. Included in the run were two triples from Green and baskets from Graham, Jennings, and Thomas.
-Redshirt sophomore Jen Louro drilled a late three-pointer, and Monmouth eventually outscored Iona 17-7 in the second frame. At halftime, the Hawks held a 24-18 advantage.
-The Hawks made five straight shots in the third quarter, building a 13-point lead at 38-25.
-A late triple from freshman Destiny Jackson ended the third quarter scoring, and Monmouth took a 44-29 lead into the final frame.
-Iona used an 11-0 run in the fourth to cut the deficit to 48-43.
-Monmouth went 19-25 (76%) from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-For the seventh straight season, Monmouth won its first game of the MAAC Championships.
-With six more today, Green moved up to third in program history with 169 made triples. She was just two points away from her career high (28 vs. Manhattan last season). Her six made threes in a single game are tied for 7^th all-time.
-Jennings scored in double-figures for the 13^th time this season, which ranks third on the team.
-Middleton has 888 points and 891 rebounds through 123 career games.  
-Graham moved into 10^th all-time for career assists (271).
-Monmouth held a 20-0 advantage in fast break points.
-Sophomore Lucy Thomas played for the first time since February 13, adding four points and four rebounds in the win.
-The Hawks led for 33:19, while Iona led for just 2:37.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will face No. 2 Marist in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Hercules Tires MAAC Women's Basketball Championship on Wednesday. Tip from Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ is set for 3:30 PM.