2023-24 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Fifteen Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (9-5, 2-1 CAA) vs. Elon (5-12, 1-3 CAA)
Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 - 12:00 p.m.  
OceanFirst Bank Center - West Long Branch, N.J.

Watch
FloSports
Joe Vasile (Play-by-Play)
Jackson Heil (Color)

OPENING TIP
• The Hawks are set to meet Elon in a game that got moved up to 12 p.m. start due to inclement weather. It's free admission to the game but fans are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling to and from the game.
• Week three of Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) action kicks off for the Hawks with a home game against Elon.
• Monmouth enters the weekend having won two straight games and seven of its last eight contests.
• Monmouth is 1-1 all-time against the Phoenix. The Hawks and Elon each picked up a win on their home court last season.
• Belle Kranbuhl had a career-high 18 rebounds for the Hawks in the win over College of Charleston on Sunday. It was the most rebounds in a game by a Hawk since the 2019-20 season.
• The MU defense grabbed 50 rebounds in the win over the Cougars. All 10 Hawks who appeared in the game grabbed at least one rebound. Monmouth is 6-1 this season when it grabs 40 or more rebounds in a game.  
• Monmouth would record its 10th win of the season with its next victory. If the Hawks can reach the mark against the Phoenix, it would be the quickest that the Hawks have gotten to 10 wins under head coach Ginny Boggess (15 games).
• Belle Kranbuhl enters play this weekend needing just six more blocks to become the fourth player in program history to reach 200 career blocks.
• Sandrine Clesca led the Hawks with seven assists in the win over Charleston. It was her second game this season with seven assists in a contest.
• The Hawks shot 43.3% from the field against College of Charleston. Monmouth improves to 6-1 on the season when it shoots 40% or better from the field.  
• Monmouth had 14 assists against Charleston and is 7-1 when it has double digit assists this season.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME
Monmouth returns home where the Hawks have played well inside the OceanFirst Bank Center. The Hawks have posted five wins in their first eight games at home this season. Monmouth is averaging 65.6 points per game at home while holding opponents to 58.4 points per game. The Hawks are outrebounding opponents by a +12.1 margin in those eight contests. Kaci Donovan is averaging 15.8 points per game at home while Belle Kranbuhl is pulling down 7.6 rebounds per game.

THE CLIMB TO 200
Monmouth's Belle Kranbuhl has been a force in the lane since her arrival on campus. She has 34 blocks this season and 194 for her career. Kranbuhl currently ranks 16th among active Division I players for career blocks. She needs to record six more blocks this season, Kranbuhl to become the four player in program history to reach the mark and the first since Suzanne Johnson (1988-91).

FEELING IT AT FORTY
Monmouth finished the game at College of Charleston shooting 43.3% from the field. The Hawks are 6-1 this season when they shoot 40% or better from the field. Monmouth shot a season-best 50% from the field in the win over St. John's earlier this season.

TRYING TO GET TO 10
Monmouth's next win will give them 10 on the season. If the Hawks can defeat the Phoenix, it would give them 10 wins in the shortest time frame under head coach Ginny Boggess (15 games).

CLEANING THE GLASS
Monmouth dominated the glass against the College of Charleston. The Hawks held a 50-37 edge in the rebounding battle. It was the second time this season that the Hawks had 50 or more rebounds in a game. Leading the way was Belle Kranbuhl, who pulled down a career-high 18 boards in the game. Kranbuhl's 18 rebounds were the most by a Hawk since Alexa Middleton had 18 during the 2019-20 season. 

The Hawks are 6-1 this season when they pull down 40 or more rebounds in a game and 7-0 when they win the rebounding battle by a +10 margin. Last season the Hawks were 8-3 when they pulled down 40 or more rebounds in a game. Belle Kranbuhl is averaging a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game while two other Hawks are averaging better than four rebounds per game.

FROM BEHIND THE ARC 
Kaci Donovan has had the hot hand for the Hawks from behind the arc. The senior has knocked down 35 three-pointers in 14 games and is shooting 41.2% from three-point range. Her three-point shooting percentage is tops in the CAA. Donovan has hit at least one three-pointer in 13 of 14 games this season. She needs just four more three-pointers to match her season total from deep from a year ago.

LENDING A HELPING HAND 
Point guard Sandrine Clesca handed out seven assists in the win over College of Charleston. That matched Clesca's career-high, which was set against William & Mary earlier this month. Clesca now has five games this season with four or more assists for the Hawks. Since CAA play began, Clesca is averaging 5 assists per game.

The Hawks have done a pretty good job of sharing the basketball this season. Sunday's game was the eighth time this season that the Hawks have handed double digit assists and Monmouth is 7-1 in those contests. Seven different Hawks have handed out at least 10 assists this season. Leading that group is Clesca, who has 39 helpers on the year. Jania Hall (28) and Belle Kranbuhl (26) join Clesca as the Hawks that have dished out 25 or more assists on the season. 

SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
Elon sits at 5-12 overall and 1-3 in the CAA after splitting a pair of contests last weekend (win over Campbell, loss to William & Mary). Icyez Adams leads the Phoenix on the season as she is averaging 10.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Maraja Pass is adding 9.8 points per game with 70 assists on the season.

UP NEXT
Monmouth is back in action on Sunday, Jan. 21 when it travels to Drexel for a 1 p.m. game that can be seen on NBC Sports Philadelphia.