FINAL SCORE
No. 7 Monmouth 65 (16-15)
No. 2 Drexel 59 (21-9)

TOWSON, MD – The No. 7 Monmouth University women's basketball team used a balanced attack to claim a 65-59 win over No. 2 Drexel University in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) quarterfinals on Friday night. The Hawks, who picked up the 600th win in program history, advanced to the CAA semifinals in their first season in the league. 
 
Bri Tinsley paced the Hawks with 14 points and five rebounds while Lovin Marsicano added 13 points and five steals. Jania Hall came off the bench to add 11 points for Monmouth. Keishana Washington led all scorers with 32 points. 
 
Drexel opened up a 12-5 lead in the first quarter behind Washington. The Hawks closed the first quarter on a 6-0 run and pulled to within one, 12-11 after one. Kaci Donovan converted a four-point play with nine seconds left to get the Hawks close.
 
The Dragons hit the first bucket of the second quarter and took a 14-11 lead. Monmouth responded with an 15-3 run and took a 26-17 lead with 4:00 left in the period. Marsicano, Donovan and Jen Louro knocked down triples in that stretch. Drexel scored six of the next seven points and cut the Monmouth lead to 27-23 with 1:18 showing on the clock. A bucket from Belle Kranbuhl in the final 15 seconds helped the Hawks take a 29-24 lead at the break. 
 
Monmouth scored five of the first nine in the third quarter and pushed its lead to 34-28 with 7:52 on the clock. Drexel used seven straight points from Kylie Lavelle to take a 35-34 edge with 6:05 to go in the period. The Hawks scored eight of the next 10 and pulled ahead, 42-37 with 3:04 left. The two teams traded points over the final three minutes of the period and the Hawks led 48-43 at the end of three.
 
Five straight points from Tinsley in the fourth gave the Hawks a 53-46 lead with 8:11 to go in the game. The Hawks and Dragons continued to traded points. Monmouth went 8-for-10 from the foul line over the final two plus minutes to close out the 65-59 win.

NOTES & QUOTES
"We talk about our Nest and our family and you could see it in the stands tonight. It's not just a recruiting pitch, it's very real. I'm so proud of what we are building and we are having a blast doing it. I'm excited what we are doing it with. I can't say enough about our effort and energy tonight. Drexel came out like I knew they would. We rallied and responded and defensively we got stops when we needed to. We picked up the effort down the stretch."
- Head Coach Ginny Boggess

- Monmouth earned its 600th win in program history with the victory over the Dragons. 
- It was the second win of the season for the Hawks over the Dragons. The Hawks were the only CAA school to beat the Dragons twice this season. 
- The Hawks dominated the rebounding battle, 34-25. 
- Free throws proved key in the game as Monmouth went 18-for-21 from the line and 10-for-12 in the fourth quarter. 
- The Hawks had 10 steals in the game, it was the fourth time this season they have recorded 10 or more steals in a game. 
- There were seven lead changes and two ties in the game. 

 NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Lovin Marsicano's five steals in the game were a career-high. They were also the most by a Hawk in a single-game since Stella Clark had five in a game in December of the 2021-22 season.  
- Jania Hall's 11 points in the game were a season-best for the junior. She also connected on a team-high five made free throws in the contest. 
- Belle Kranbuhl pulled down a game-high nine rebounds in the contest.
- Bri Tinsley scored in double figures for her team-leading 17th time this season. 

NEXT UP
Monmouth is back on the court on Saturday, Mar. 11 when it faces No. 3 Northeastern in the CAA semifinals at 4:30 p.m.