FINAL SCORE
North Carolina A&T 68 (9-5, 3-0 CAA)
Monmouth 52 (7-7, 2-1 CAA))

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – North Carolina A&T closed the game on a 20-4 run and secured a 68-52 win over the Monmouth University women's basketball team in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action on Friday night. 
 
Lucy Thomas led Monmouth in scoring for the second straight game with 14 points and added nine rebounds. Bri Tinsley contributed eight points, five rebounds and six assists for the Hawks. Jazmin Harris led the Aggies with 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. 
 
After North Carolina A&T scored the first basket of the game, the Hawks responded with an 11-0 run and took a nine-point lead with 6:47 to go in the period. Lovin Marsicano had five points in that stretch while Tinsley added four. The two teams traded points over the final six minutes and were tied at 15-15 after one. 
 
A three-pointer from Jen Louro and a basket from Thomas gave the home team a 23-17 advantage with 6:08 remaining in the second. A 7-0 run that featured Louro's second triple of the stanza extended the MU lead to 30-18 with 3:30 left on the clock. Monmouth eventually took a 34-25 lead at the break. 
 
N.C. A&T proved to have the hot shooting hand in the second half of the contest. The Aggies shot 54.5% from the field after the halftime break and got 11 points from D'Mya Tucker and 10 points from Harris. The Aggies held the Hawks to a 21.7 field goal percentage after the half and forced 11 turnovers in that stretch. 
 
The strong second half helped the Aggies come from behind and secure the 68-52 win.

NOTES & QUOTES
"I have to give credit to N.C. A&T for a hard-fought battle. We struggled to execute on the offensive end in the second half and unfortunately that affected our defensive intensity. It's going to be a battle every night in this league and we need a full 40 minutes. I'm excited we have another opportunity on Sunday."
- Head Coach Ginny Boggess

- Monmouth won the rebounding battle, 39-34. It was the ninth time this season, the Hawks have won the rebounding battle.
- The loss snapped a two-game win streak for MU.
- MU had 15 assists in the game. Seven Hawks recorded at least one helper in the game. 
- There were seven lead changes and five ties in the game.    

 NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Lucy Thomas led the Hawks in scoring for the second straight game as she contributed 14 points. It was the graduate student's fifth game in double figures this season.
- Bri Tinsley had a team-high six assists in the game, it was her fifth game this season with five or more assists in a game. 
- Five Hawks recorded at least five rebounds in the game, that group was led by Thomas who had nine. 
- Jen Louro knocked down two three-pointers in the game, giving her 16 for the season and 90 for her career.

NEXT UP
Monmouth is back on the court on Sunday, Jan. 8 when it hosts Elon at 2 p.m. game.