FINAL SCORE
Monmouth 64 (8-7, 3-1 CAA)
Elon 56 (4-11, 0-4 CAA))

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Bri Tinsley scored 17 of her game-high 20 points in the second half to lead the Monmouth University women's basketball team to a 64-56 comeback win over Elon University in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play on Sunday afternoon. 
 
Tinsley added four rebounds and four assists to go with her 20 points for the Hawks. Lovin Marsicano added nine points and five rebounds while Ariana Vanderhoop had nine points and two assists. Evonna McGill had 16 points for Elon while Raven Preston contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. 
 
The first quarter was a back-and-forth battle as neither team took a lead of more than five points in the 10-minute stretch. Kaci Donovan led the Hawks with five points in that stanza as the Hawks and Phoenix headed to the second quarter tied at 19-19. Elon took a 23-21 lead on a McGill bucket at the 7:27 mark of the second quarter. The visitors pushed that lead to five before a late bucket from Vanderhoop cut the Elon lead to 31-28 at the half.
 
Elon opened the third quarter on a 5-1 run and pushed its lead to 36-29 with 8:21 showing on the clock. Seven straight points from Tinsley erased the Phoenix lead and tied the game at 36-36. Elon quickly pushed its lead to five However, an Antonia Panayides three-pointer on the next possession, jump started an 11-2 run by the Hawks to close out the third quarter and gave MU a 47-43 lead with 10 minutes to play. Monmouth scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, including another triple from Panayides and the home team led 54-43 with 7:59 to go in the game. The two teams battled over the final seven minutes of the period but Monmouth was able to hold the lead and secured the win.

NOTES & QUOTES
"I said we would need a full 40 minutes and we got it tonight. Defensively, our bigs made huge adjustments in the second half which allowed us to get stops and push the pace. On the offensive end we shared the ball at a really high level. Overall, I'm just really thrilled for our kids to experience the reward of their hard work."
- Head Coach Ginny Boggess

- Monmouth won the rebounding battle, 39-30. It was the tenth time this season, the Hawks have won the rebounding battle.
- MU improved to 4-0 in Sunday games this season.
- The Hawks hit nine three-pointers in the game. Monmouth is now 7-3 on the season when it connects on eight or more three-pointers in a game. 
- Monmouth took advantage of its second-chance opportunities, holding a 13-4 edge in second-chance points.    
- Monmouth had five blocks in the game, the Hawks are 5-2 when they record at least five blocks in a game.

 NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Bri Tinsley led the Hawks with 20 points in the game. She has now scored 20 or more points in a game three times this season. Tinsley has scored in double figures in 10 of 15 games this season. 
- Monmouth utilized a balanced attack in the game as nine of the ten Hawks who played in the game scored at least three points. 
- The Hawks had 15 assists on 23 made baskets in the game. Tinsley and Antonia Panayides led the way with four assists apiece. 
- Four Hawks recorded at least five rebounds in the game. That group was led by Belle Kranbuhl, who had seven.

NEXT UP
Monmouth is back on the court on Friday, Jan. 13 when it travels to Stony Brook for a 6:30 p.m. game.