Monmouth Hawks (2-11, 2-7 MAAC) - 63
Saint Peter's Peacocks (7-12, 6-7 MAAC) – 57
 
JERSEY CITY, NJ – Behind efficient shooting and an outburst from freshman Belle Kranbuhl (Boonville, NY/Adirondack Central), the Monmouth University women's basketball team defeated Saint Peter's on Sunday night, 63-57.
 
Monmouth shot a season-high 51.0% (25-49) from the floor, and held on for the win after 16 lead changes.
 
Kranbuhl scored in double-figures for the fifth straight game and registered her third double-double in that span, ending with a career-high 20 points (9-11 FG) and 16 rebounds.
 
Freshman Ariana Vanderhoop (Boston, MA/Cathedral) went into double-figures for the first time in her career, scoring 10 points including a huge and-one play to give Monmouth the lead with 3:00 left.
 
Freshman Sakeria Haralson (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) posted a career-high nine points (4-5 FG) to go along with five rebounds.  
 
Monmouth improves to 2-11 (2-7 MAAC) on the season, and will travel to Fairfield next weekend.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"I'm so happy for our team getting rewarded for their efforts with a victory. We finally played with discipline on both ends. We took care of the ball, put up quality shots, and rebounded well down the stretch. It was a well-deserved win." - Monmouth head coach Jody Craig
 
-Monmouth made its first four field goal attempts, including three from Kranbuhl as Monmouth took an early 8-5 lead.
-The Hawks ended the opening frame on a 5-0 run to go ahead 13-7. Haralson connected on an and-one play with 1:44 left for the last points of the quarter.
-Saint Peter's used an 8-0 run midway through the second quarter as back-to-back triples cut the Monmouth lead to one.
-The Peacocks hit three free throws in the last minute of the first half. At the break, the home team had a 25-24 advantage.
-Haralson scored another bucket while getting fouled midway through the third, getting Monmouth back within two.
-With 2:58 left in the third, freshman Gabrielle Wener drilled a corner three to give Monmouth a 41-40 lead.
-After Saint Peter's went ahead by three, Kranbuhl hit a jumper and Vanderhoop took a strong drive at the buzzer to put Monmouth back ahead, 45-44.
-The Peacocks opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run, but Monmouth later tied it back up after five straight points from Kranbuhl.
-With 3:00 left, Vanderhoop made a tough layup while getting fouled. She made the free throw to give Monmouth the lead for good.
-The Hawks made five free throws in the final stretch to seal the win.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Kranbuhl registered Monmouth's first 20-point game of the season, and grabbed the most rebounds since 1/18/20 (Alexa Middleton, 18, vs Niagara). She also blocked another four shots in the win, and leads the MAAC with 3.1 blocks per game. Kranbuhl is the first freshman to score 20+ points since 3/2/19 (Lucy Thomas at Saint Peter's).
-Vanderhoop made 4-of-6 field goal attempts in a season-high 37 minutes.
-Wener ended with eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
-Monmouth's 63 points were a season high.
-The Hawks held a 42-18 advantage in the paint.
-Monmouth held an 18-6 advantage in bench points.
-In both games combined this weekend, Monmouth freshmen scored 99 of 123 points (80.4%).
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will remain on the road to face Fairfield next weekend. The Stags hold a 12-7 lead in the all-time series.