Monmouth Hawks (13-8, 8-4 MAAC) at Niagara Purple Eagles (10-12, 7-7 MAAC)
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 – 2 p.m. EST
Gallagher Center, Niagara University, N.Y.
 
TV
ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Pat Malacaro
Analyst: Jack Kruezer
 
Monmouth Notes
 
OPENING TIP
-A Monmouth win would extend the Hawks current win streak to four games, the longest streak for the program since the 2015-16 squad logged five straight victories.  
-The Hawks last swept the Purple Eagles during the 2018-19 season.
-Sophomore center Belle Kranbuhl is one block shy of cracking into the top-10 all-time in program history. She would tie Jewonda Bright '04 for 10th all-time.
-Monmouth is coming off a 62-52 road win at Canisius after picking up back-to-back home victories over Quinnipiac and Saint Peter's.  
-The Purple Eagles are also riding a three-game winning streak into Saturday's game after picking up wins against Manhattan, Siena and Marist.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-Saturday's matchup between Monmouth and Niagara marks the 17th all-time meeting between the two sides and the second this season.
-The Hawks claimed the first matchup this season in West Long Branch, besting the Purple Eagles, 61-56. Kaci Donovan scored a team-best 16 points, while Ariana Vanderhoop (12 points) and Antonia Panayides (11 points) reached double-digit scoring as well.    
-Monmouth is looking for its first road win at Niagara since Feb. 22, 2019. Each of the last three meetings in Niagara University, N.Y., have been decided by seven points or less.
 
FINISHING STRONG
Despite trailing by three entering the fourth quarter against Canisius on Thursday, the Monmouth women's basketball team erupted for a 29-point fourth quarter to secure the road win. The 29 points scored were the most in a single quarter for the Hawks since they logged 35 in the fourth in a road win at Niagara on Feb. 22, 2019. Against the Golden Griffins, the Hawks shot 12-of-16 (75%) from the field in the final 10 minutes with 16 of the 29 points coming from inside the paint.
 
THOMAS GOES OFF
Senior forward Lucy Thomas had her best game of the season in the Hawks' road win at Canisius on Thursday. She finished with 16 in the scoring column on 8-of-10 (80%) shooting off the bench. She was responsible for 10 of Monmouth's 29 fourth-quarter points, shooting a flawless 5-for-5 from the floor. The past two games, she is averaging 12 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting the ball at a 71-percent clip from the field.
 
CLARK ON THE ROAD
Over her last eight road appearances, graduate student Stella Clark has been a stat sheet stuffer. The Sea Girt, N.J., native is averaging 16 points per game, while connecting on 41 percent of her shots from the field and 46 percent of her 3-point attempts. She has reeled in 5.4 boards per game, while also dishing out 3.4 assists per contest. Clark has reached double-digit scoring in five of the eight outings, while logging three 20-point performances.

REACHING 60 POINTS
The Monmouth women's basketball team has scored at least 60 points on 11 occasions this season. When reaching the 60-point mark, the Hawks are 10-1. The last time a Monmouth team had double-digit games with 60 or more points scored was during the 2018-19 campaign. That year, the Hawks reached 60 points in 14 of their 31 games and finished with a 10-4 record in those contests.