2022-23 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Fifteen Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (7-7, 2-1 CAA) host Elon Phoenix (4-10, 0-3 CAA)
Sunday, January 8, 2023 - 2:00 p.m. 
OceanFirst Bank Center, West Long Branch, NJ
 
TV
FloSports
Kevin Copp (Play-by-Play)
EmmaKate Austin (Analyst)

Opening Tip
• The Hawks wrap up a home weekend of CAA play by welcoming Elon to the OceanFirst Bank Center.
• This is the first ever meeting between Monmouth and the Phoenix.
• Lucy Thomas led the Hawks in scoring for the second straight game as she finished with 14 points against N.C. A&T.
• Monmouth outrebounded N.C. A&T, 39-34 on Friday night. It was the ninth time this season the Hawks have won the rebounding battle.
• MU dished out 15 assists on Friday night against N.C. A&T. Seven different Hawks recorded at least one assist in that game.
• The Hawks enter play this weekend as one of the top three-point shooting teams in the conference. MU is averaging 7.7 three-pointers per game entering the Elon game.
• Monmouth enters play on Sunday leading the CAA in blocks per game. The Hawks are averaging 4.0 blocks per game.
• Bri Tinsley enters Sunday's action tied for fourth in the CAA while averaging 4.1 assists per game.
• Following the Elon game, the Hawks hit the road to visit Stony Brook on Friday, Jan. 13 before returning home to host Towson on Sunday, Jan. 15.
 

GOING DEEP
Jen Louro has proven to be a threat from behind the arc during her Hawks career. Louro knocked down a pair of three-pointers on Friday night against N.C. A&T. 

She is 14th in career three-pointers having knocked down the 90th of her career in the N.C. A&T game. She needs 18 more three-pointer to move into a tie with Gabby Singer for 13th with 108.

CLEANING THE GLASS
MU won the rebounding battle against North Carolina A&T, 39-34. Four different Hawks recorded at least five rebounds in that game. That group was led by Lucy Thomas, who had nine rebounds.

Monmouth is outrebounding its opponents by a +1.3 margin this season, which is tied for sixth in the CAA. The Hawks have outrebounded their opponents in nine games this season. Belle Kranbuhl is averaging a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game while Thomas is adding 5.4 rebounds per game. Six Hawks have grabbed 40 or more rebounds so far this season. 

MISS ASSIST
Bri Tinsley led the Hawks with six assists on Friday night against North Carolina A&T. It was the second straight game and fifth time this season that Tinlsey has dished out at least five helpers in a game. She has a career-high eight assists in a game twice this year (Navy, Delaware).

Tinsley enters Sunday's action with 57 assists on the year and is tied for fourth in the CAA while averaging 4.1 assists per game. She also ranks fifth in the CAA with a 1.2 assists to turnover ratio.

NOT IN MY HOUSE 
MU has found success blocking the basketball throughout the first 14 games of the season. The Hawks have 56 blocks and are averaging 4.0 blocks per game. That ranks first in the CAA this season.

The Hawks are 6-3 this season when they record four or more blocks in a game. They had a season-high nine blocks in the win over NJIT. MU's efforts have been led by Belle Kranbuhl, who has 29 blocks so far this year, which ranks 18th nationally. Her 2.1 blocks per game is among the top three in the CAA this season. Kranbuhl is one of seven Hawks to record at least one block this season.

FROM BEHIND THE ARC
Despite being held to just five made three-pointers on Friday night, the Hawks remain one of the top three-point shooting squads in the CAA this season. The Hawks have connected on eight or more three-pointers in a game nine times this season, including a season-high 11 three-pointers twice (Navy/BYU). MU is 6-3 on the season when hitting eight or more three-pointers. 

Monmouth is tied for the top spot in the CAA while averaging 7.7 three-pointers a game this season. Bri Tinsley, Jen Louro, Kaci Donovan and Ariana Vanderhoop have all made 12 or more three-pointers so far this season.

SOLID SHOOTING
Monmouth has proven to have a solid shooting percentage through the first 14 games of the season. The Hawks are shooting 40.0% from the field entering play this weekend. That ranks tied for fith in the CAA.

Lucy Thomas, Ariana Vanderhoop and Belle Kranbuhl have all taken at least 80 shots on the year and are shooting 40% or better from the field.
 

SCOUTING ELON 
Elon comes in having lost eight straight, including a 46-42 loss at Hofstra on Friday night. Raven Preston leads the Phoenix as she is averaging 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Lenaejha Evans is contributing 10.1 points per game. 

UP NEXT
Monmouth is back at it on Friday, Jan. 13 when it visits Stony Brook for a 6:30 pm game.