Rider Broncs (4-14, 3-10 MAAC) – 61
Monmouth Hawks (0-7, 0-3 MAAC) - 35
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Led by a 13-0 third quarter run, Rider defeated the Monmouth University women's basketball team on Saturday, 61-35.
 
The Hawks scored the first bucket of the third quarter to take a one-point lead, but the Broncs drilled 5-of-5 three-pointers to outscore the home team 23-8 in the frame.
 
Rider shot 11-of-21 (52.4%) from long range, and held Monmouth to just 2-of-13 (15.4%).
 
Freshman Jania Hall (Gaithersburg, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) registered eight points and eight rebounds in the loss.
 
Redshirt junior Jen Louro (Wall, NJ/St. Rose/UMass Lowell) also added eight points, and remains the team's leading scorer at 10.0 per game.
 
Freshman Belle Kranbuhl (Boonville, NY/Adirondack Central) grabbed 11 rebounds for the third consecutive game, bringing her season average to 7.0.
 
Monmouth falls to 0-7 (0-3 MAAC) on the season, and will host Rider again tomorrow.  
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"I was very disappointed in our mentality and effort today. We got down on ourselves when our shots didn't fall, and we stopped competing. Individually and collectively we need to represent ourselves with a lot more pride." – Monmouth head coach Jody Craig
 
-Monmouth started the game on a 10-2 run, including eight points from Hall.
-Rider battled back late in the first, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Heading into the second, the Hawks led 15-12.
-After a low scoring second quarter, Rider hit another triple at the buzzer. The Broncs took a slight 22-21 lead into halftime. The teams combined to shoot 5-for-28 (17.9%) in the frame.
-Monmouth took the lead on the first possession of the third quarter, as freshman Ariana Vanderhoop drove to the lane and connected on a layup.
-Rider answered with an 13-0 run, including two triples, to take a 35-23 advantage.
-The Broncs eventually hit all five three-point attempts and outscored Monmouth 23-8 in the third, taking a 45-29 lead into the fourth.
-Rider kept control in the final frame, holding the Blue & White to 3-of-15 from the floor.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Hall is second on the team with 9.0 points per game, including a team-high 46.8 field goal percentage.
-Monmouth outscored Rider in the paint 22-14.
-Rider went 12-of-14 (86%) from the free throw line, while the Hawks went 3-of-8 (38%).
-Sophomore Saule Kaupyte grabbed a season-high seven rebounds.
-Monmouth committed just 10 turnovers, a season low.
-Rider's Makayla Firebaugh scored a game-high 26 points, including six from beyond the arc.
-Vanderhoop played in her first game since December 5, notching four points and two boards.
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth welcomes Rider tomorrow at 2 PM for the series finale. The Hawks own a 29-21 all-time series lead, but the Broncs have won eight of the last nine.