FINAL SCORE
Stony Brook 69 (10-6, 4-1 CAA)
Monmouth 59 (8-8, 3-2 CAA))

STONY BROOK, NY – The Monmouth University women's basketball team used a hard-fought effort to erase a 12-point third quarter deficit but Stony Brook used a strong closing quarter to claim a 69-59 win in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play on Friday night. 
 
Kaci Donovan paced the Hawks with 11 points while Ariana Vanderhoop added 10 points. Belle Kranbuhl led the defensive efforts with 10 rebounds while Bri Tinsley added nine boards. Gigi Gonzalez led Stony Brook with 23 points and eight rebounds. 
 
The Hawks sprinted out to an 8-2 lead with 5:38 to go in the first quarter. Donovan had four early points for the Hawks. Stony Brook responded with an 8-2 run of its own as Monmouth led 10-9 after one period of play. Gonzalez got hot in the second quarter as she posted seven points and helped the Seawolves limit the Hawks to just eight points total. The tough defense allowed the home team to take a 26-18 lead at the break. 
 
Monmouth scored the first two baskets of the third quarter but the Seawolves responded with a 9-2 run and pushed its lead to 35-24 with 7:32 on the clock. The Hawks continued to battle over the next several minutes but Stony Brook was able to maintain an eight-to-10-point advantage in that stretch. A Gonzalez bucket at 2:58 put the Seawolves ahead, 47-35. It was the home team's largest lead of the game. 
 
Monmouth showed some fight as the Hawks closed the third quarter on a 10-0 run and cut the Stony Brook lead to two, 47-45. Jania Hall had four points in that stretch, all of which came following a Hall steal. Three-pointers from Jen Louro and Antonia Panayides to start the fourth quarter helped the Hawks take a 51-49 lead with 8:28 to play. The two teams traded points as Tinsley made 1-of-2 from the foul line with 3:22 to go and tied the game at 56-56. However, Stony Brook closed the game on a 13-3 run and claimed the 69-59 win.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We showed a big fight in the second half tonight and I'm really proud of how we battled. We have to tighten up our defensive rebounding and take better care of the basketball going into Sunday. We are learning and growing ever game and I love coaching this group."
- Head Coach Ginny Boggess

- Monmouth and Stony Brook tied in the rebounding battle, 37-37. Eight Hawks recorded at least two rebounds in the game. 
- The Hawks held a 16-4 advantage in fast break points. 
- Monmouth's bench accounted for 25 points on the night. 
- MU had active hands in the game, finishing with 11 steals to Stony Brook's seven. 
- There were nine ties and three lead changes in the contest. 

 NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Kaci Donovan led the Hawks with 11 points in the game. It was her fifth double-digit scoring game of the season and first since Nov. 25 at Brown. 
- Ariana Vanderhoop contributed 10 points for her fifth double-digit scoring game. 
- Jania Hall had a season-high eight points for the Hawks. 
- Belle Kranbuhl led the rebounding battle as she had a game-high 10 rebounds, all of which came on the defensive end. She has four games with double-digit rebounds this season. 
- Bri Tinsley had a career-high nine rebounds in the contest. 
- Tinsley added six points and a game-high four assists. 

NEXT UP
Monmouth is back on the court on Sunday, Jan. 15 when it hosts Towson at 1 p.m.