2022-23 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Nine Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (5-3, 0-0 CAA) travels to La Salle Explorers (6-4, 0-0 A10)
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - 6:30 p.m.
Tom Gola Arena, Philadelphia, PA
 
TV
ESPN+

Opening Tip
• Winners of two straight, the Hawks get back to action and hit the road to visit La Salle.
• This is the sixth meeting all-time between MU and the Explorers. La Salle holds a 4-1 lead in the series.
• Monmouth comes into the week having recorded at least four blocks in six straight games. The Hawks lead the CAA while averaging 4.25 blocks per game.
• MU dominated the rebounding battle against St. Francis Brooklyn with a +14 margin. Ariana Vanderhoop led the charge with a career-high 12 boards in that contest.
• Monmouth knocked down nine three-pointers against St. Francis Brooklyn. The Hawks are now 4-1 on the year when they make eight or more three-pointers in a game.
• The Hawks dished out 11 assists in their last contest. MU is one of five CAA teams averaging 14 or more assists per game.
• A win tonight would allow MU to even its road record for the season at 3-3.
• The Hawks featured a balanced scoring attack in their last game as 10 of 12 MU players scored at least three points in the game. That group was led by Jen Louro, who had a season-high 12 points.
• Monmouth plays two of its final three nonconference contests on the road.
• Monmouth is embarking on its first season as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
• Following tonight's game, Monmouth returns home to host Dartmouth on Saturday, Dec. 10.
 

BATTLE ON THE BOARDS
One of the keys for the Hawks this season has been the ability to win the rebounding battle. Monmouth outrebounded St. Francis Brooklyn, 44-30. That effort was paced by Ariana Vanderhoop, who had a career-high 12 rebounds in the contest and Belle Kranbuhl, who pulled down eight. MU is 5-1 on the season when it outrebounds its opponents. Seven Hawks are averaging two or more rebounds per game this season. 

SEASON-HIGH
Jen Louro poured in a season-high 12 points to lead the Hawks in the win over St. Francis Brooklyn on Thursday. Louro did her damage from behind the arc and she was a solid 4-for-6 from three-point range in the game. In addition Antonia Panayides contributed a season-best six points after knocking down a pair of threes in that game.

50 BELOW
Monmouth held St. Francis Brooklyn to just 44 points in the win on Thursday night. It was the lowest point total surrendered by the Hawks this season. It also marked the sixth time under head coach Ginny Boggess that MU has held an opponent to less than 50 points. The lowest point total surrendered by an MU squad under Boggess was 39 points to Dartmouth last year. The Hawks will host the Big Green later this week.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
Monmouth women's basketball team has done a good job of handing out the assists this season. The Hawks have recorded 10 or more assists in seven of the first eight games and has 15 or more assists in four of those contests. MU had a season-high  22 assists at Navy. The Hawks enter Wednesday's game ranked fifth in the CAA in assists per game (14.13).

Bri Tinsley leads the Monmouth efforts as she is averaging 4.0 assists per game. Tinsley ranks fourth in the CAA in assists per game and fourth in assist to turnover ratio (1.8).

NOT IN MY HOUSE
Monmouth has worked hard to get their hands on a lot of opponents shots this season. The Hawks blocked four shots against St. Francis Brooklyn and have now blocked at least four shots in six straight games. MU enters play this week leading the CAA while averaging 4.25 blocks per game. 

Belle Kranbuhl had three blocks last time out against St. Francis Brooklyn and now leads the CAA while averaging 2.1 blocks per game. Lovin Marsicano has also aided the Hawks efforts as she ranks 11th in the CAA while averaging 0.9 blocks per game. 

FROM BEHIND THE ARC
MU knocked down nine three-pointers in the win over St. Francis Brooklyn. Jen Louro knocked down four triples in that game while Antonia Panayides added a pair. 

Monmouth is 4-1 on the year when it drains eight or more three-pointers in a game. Bri Tinsley, Kaci Donovan and Louro have all connected on 10 or more three-pointers this season. 

BALANCED ATTACK 
MU has found success with a balanced attack this season. In Thursday's win over St. Francis Brooklyn, the Hawks had 10 of the 12 players who appeared in the game score. The Hawks also demonstrated a balanced attack on the boards as 10 players all recorded at least one rebound in the contest. 

SOLID SHOOTING
Monmouth has proven to have a solid shooting percentage through the first eight games of the season. The Hawks are shooting 42.6% from the field entering play this week. That ranks fourth in the CAA.

Lucy Thomas, Kaci Donovan and Belle Kranbuhl have all taken at least 45 shots on the year and are shooting 42% or better from the field.

GOING DEEP
Jen Louro has proven to be a threat from behind the arc during her Hawks career. She is 15th in career threes, having just passed Liz Whalen in the St. Francis Brooklyn game. She needs two more three-pointers to tie Helena Kurt for 14th.

SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS
La Salle is coming off a 70-56 loss to Temple on Monday night. Clair Jacobs had 13 points and four rebounds in that contest for the Explorers. Kayla Spruill leads La Salle on the season as she is averaging 13.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. 

UP NEXT
Monmouth is back home on Saturday, Dec. 10 when it hosts Dartmouth at 2 p.m. The game will be available on FloSports.