2023-24 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Ten Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (5-4) vs. Loyola (4-5)
Friday, Dec. 22, 2023 - 2:00 p.m.  
OceanFirst Bank Center - West Long Branch, N.J.

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FloSports
Eddy Occhipinti (Play-by-Play)
Dei Lynam (Color)

OPENING TIP
• For the first time in nearly a month, the Hawks return to the OceanFirst Bank Center to begin its longest home stretch of the season, four straight games.
• Monmouth returns home riding a three-game win streak and looking to close out a stretch of three straight against Patriot League opponents.
• Kaci Donovan led the Hawks with a game-high 17 points in the win over Lafayette.
• MU has held two of its last three opponents to under 50 points (Rider-42, Lafayette-47).
• Monmouth has shot 48% from the field in back-to-back games. The Hawks improved to 4-1 this season when they shoot 40% or better from the field.
• Sandrine Clesca had a career-high 14 points for the Hawks in the win over Lafayette.
• Monmouth is currently riding a three-game win streak with all of those wins coming on the road. It is Monmouth's longest road streak (of true road games) since the 2021-22 team won five straight on the road.
• The Hawks have hit 28 three-pointers during their current win streak. Kaci Donovan has a team-high 12 during that stretch while four other Hawks have hit at least three triples.
• Belle Kranbuhl has been a steady force on the boards, pulling down at least five rebounds in eight of nine games.
• 60 is the magic number for the Hawks this season. Monmouth is 5-0 when scoring 60 or more points in a game and 0-4 when being held to 59 points or less.
• The Hawks moved to 5-2 on the season when they outrebound their opponent. Monmouth is 4-0 on the year when it wins the rebounding battle by a +10 margin.  
 

40-40 VISION
The Hawks shot 48% from the field at Lafayette in their last game. It marked the second straight contest and fifth time this season that the Hawks have shot 40% or better from the field. Monmouth shot a season-best 50% in the win over St. John's. The Hawks are 4-1 this season when they shot 40% or better from the field. 

LET'S GO STREAKING
Monmouth returns home having won three straight games. During the current streak, the Hawks are outscoring opponents by a +17.7 margin and outrebounding opponents by a +12.7 margin. During the current streak, Kaci Donovan is averaging a team-best 16.3 points per game. Sandrine Clesca and Belle Kranbuhl are both pulling down a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game during the streak.

DON'T I KNOW YOU
One person on the Monmouth bench will be a familiar face to the opponent bench. Assistant coach Geoff Lanier is in his first season with the Hawks after spending the previous season at Loyola. Lanier helped the Greyhounds post their first season with 10 wins since the 2016-17 season.

SEEING DOUBLE
The Hawks had three players score in double figures against Lafayette - Kaci Donovan (17), Sandrine Clesca (14) and Ariana Vanderhoop (13). Donovan has now scored in double figures in six of nine games this season for the Hawks. Clesca's 14 points were a career-high for her. Vanderhoop has scored in double figures in four straight games and six of the seven that she has played in. 

GOING DEEP
Monmouth connected on 11 three-pointers in the win over Lafayette. Kaci Donovan and Ariana Vanderhoop each connected on three triples in the contest while four other Hawks hit at least one. Monmouth has made 11 or more three-pointers in a game twice this season and won both of those contests. Dating back to the start of last year, the Hawks are 7-3 when they connect on 10 or more three-pointers in a game.

FIFTY BELOW
Monmouth held Lafayette to just 47 in its last contest. Its the second time this season the Hawks have held an opponent to under 50 points in a game. It was the ninth time under head coach Ginny Boggess that the Hawks have held an opponent to under 50 points in a game.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
Monmouth dished out 16 assists in the win over Lafayette. Sandrine Clesca led the Hawks with four assists in that contest while Belle Kranbuhl and Taisha Exanor each had three helpers. Kranbuhl leads the Hawks with 23 assists on the season. Monmouth moved to 4-0 on the season when it posts double digit assists in a game.  

SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS
Loyola sits at 4-5 on the year and has lost two straight contests and four of its last five games. Lex Therien is leading the Greyhounds while averaging 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Kelly Ratigan is adding 9.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game for Loyola.

UP NEXT
Monmouth will be back in action on January 1 when it hosts Georgian Court to wrap up nonconference action.