2022-23 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Thirty-Four Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (18-15) vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (22-9)
Thursday, March 16, 2023 - 9:00 p.m.
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall - Bloomington, Ind.

Watch
ESPN2
Brenda VanLengen (Play-by-Play)
Holly Warlick (Color)

Opening Tip
• After capturing the program's and school's first ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship, the Hawks are back in action when the First Four pits them against Tennessee Tech.
• Monmouth is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since the 1982-83 season.
• This will be just the second meeting all-time between the Hawks and Golden Eagles. Tennessee Tech won the only other meeting in 1988 by a 71-36 score.
• Bri Tinsley currently ranks fifth in single-season history at Monmouth with 71 three-pointers made.
• With 18 wins this season, the Hawks have their most wins in a single-season since the 2011-12 squad won 19 games.
• Monmouth matched its season-high with 80 points scored in the CAA Championship game.
• After leading the CAA in blocks this year, junior center Belle Kranbuhl was named to the CAA All-Defensive squad.
• MU recorded the 600th win in program history on March 10 against Drexel. The Hawks are in their 40th season of basketball.
• Monmouth currently leads the CAA with a +4.2 rebounding margin.
• The Hawks lead the CAA while averaging 3.70 blocks per game.
• Monmouth improved to 9-1 on the year when the Hawks score at least 70 points in a game.
• The Hawks are averaging 13.24 assists per game, that ranks fourth in the CAA.
• Monmouth have shot the ball well from behind the arc. The Hawks have made 252 three-pointers on the year.  
• The winner of today's game advances to face No. 1 Indiana in the first round on Saturday morning.
 

LET'S RUN IN BACK

The Hawks found plenty of success in their first appearance in the CAA Tournament. Monmouth won four games in four days en route to the title and outscored opponents by a +14.8 margin in that stretch. The Hawks killed the boards with a +11.8 rebounding margin. Three Hawks averaged 10 or more points per game and that group was led by Most Outstanding Player Bri Tinsley who tossed in 15 points per game. Belle Kranbuhl averaged a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game. 

WELCOME TO THE BIG DANCE

The Hawks are making just their second ever appearance in the NCAA tournament and the first since the 1982-83 season. That was the program's first year as a Division I program. Monmouth won the Cosmopolitan Conference Tournament that year. The Hawks beat Dartmouth in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before eventually falling to Cheyney. 

CLEANING THE GLASS
Monmouth won the rebounding battle, 40-26 against Towson. Nine Hawks who appeared in that game pulled down at least one rebound. Ariana Vanderhoop had a team-high eight rebounds in that game while Belle Kranbuhl pulled down seven. 

It was the 24th time this season the Hawks have won the rebounding battle. Monmouth is now 16-8 on the year when it wins the rebounding battle against its opponent. It was also the 11th time that the Hawks pulled down at least 40 rebounds in a game on Sunday night. The Hawks are 8-3 on the year when they record 40 or more rebounds in a single-game. Monmouth comes into the tournament leading the CAA with a +4.2 rebounding margin.

BRI FOR THREE
Bri Tinsley knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the CAA Championship. That gave her a team-leading 71 triples on the season. Her 71 three-pointers are tied for fith in program history and she is the seventh player in program history to make 70 or more triples in a single-season. She needs two more three-pointers to move into a tie for fourth on that list with Sarah Olson (73 in 2015-16). 

RECORD IMPROVEMENT
After winning 14 games under head coach Ginny Boggess' first season, the Hawks have bettered that mark in year two as they picked up their 18th win of the season on Sunday. The 18 wins are the most by a Hawks squad since the 2011-12 team won 19 games. It also guarantees the Hawks of having at least a .500 season for the first time since the 2012-13 team went 15-15. 

NOT IN MY HOUSE 
Monmouth recorded four blocks in the win over Towson. Belle Kranbuhl had three rejections in the victory while Ella Farrelly added one. 

The Hawks have 122 blocks and are averaging 3.70 blocks per game. That ranks first in the CAA this season. The Hawks are 12-6 this season when they record four or more blocks in a game. They had a season-high nine blocks in the win over NJIT and matched that mark against College of Charleston. MU's efforts have been led by Kranbuhl, who has 62 blocks so far this year. Her 1.9 blocks per game is among the top three in the CAA this season. 

GOING DEEP
Monmouth has hit at least eight three-pointers in six of its last eight games and 18 times this season. The Hawks have connected on a season-high 11 three-pointers in a game, five times this year (Navy, BYU, N.C. A&T, Hofstra, Stony Brook). Monmouth enters the NCAA Tournament leading the CAA while averaging 7.7 three-pointers per game.

WE'VE GOT DOUBLE VISION
Four Hawks scored in double figures in the win over Towson. The Hawks improved to 4-1 on the year when four players reach double figures in the same game. Bri Tinsley had 18 points in the contest. It was her fourth straight game in double figures and team leading 19th time this season. Ariana Vanderhoop chipped in 17 points. It was her 15th game this season to reach that mark. Jania Hall had a season-high 14 points, one shy of her career-high. Hall has reached double figures in two of the last three contests and three times this season. Belle Kranbuhl had 11 points and reached double figures for the sixth time this season. 

600 AND COUNTING
Friday's win over Drexel was the Hawks' 16th win of the season and 600th in program history. The Hawks have played 1,198 games in their 40 seasons entering Thursday's action. 

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Tennessee Tech is 22-9 on the year and coming off a 54-46 win over Little Rock in the OVC Championship game. Jada Guinn, who was named the tournament's MVP, had 12 points and six assists in the championship game. Maaliya Owens is averaging a team-best 14.7 points per game while Guinn adds 10.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.

UP NEXT
The winner of today's game will face No. 1 Indiana in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday morning.