FINAL SCORE
UMass (2-2) – 76
Monmouth (0-4) – 53
 
AMHERST, Mass. – Damaris Rodriguez's buzzer-beating three-pointer to close the third quarter brought the Monmouth University Women's Basketball Team within seven points, but the UMass Minutewomen played a strong fourth quarter to win, 76-53, at the Mullins Center on Friday evening.

Rodriguez (11 points) was one of three Hawks that finished in double figures, with Taisha Exanor (13) leading the Hawks offense and Ella Farrelly chipping in with 11 of her own.

Six of Farrelly's 11 came in the first quarter, which ended with a 12-9 Monmouth lead. That mark led all scorers through the game's first 10 minutes, but the Minutewomen bookended runs of 10-2 to start and 10-0 to end the frame to carry a 14-point lead into the half.

The Hawks went on a 9-0 run early in the third behind an Exanor steal and layup in transition, a Rodriguez putback on her own missed floater, an Exanor three, and a pair of Divine Dibula free throws to cut the UMass lead down to seven at 5:06. Dibula gave played an impactful 19 minutes off the bench and tied her career high with nine points while adding seven boards.

A tough layup by Dibula through contact brought the UMass advantage to 42-36 at 2:08 in the third, and Farrelly's second three of the night got the Hawks within six for a second time early in the fourth before UMass took control and solidified the outcome with a 17-3 run to end the game.
 
NOTES
- Three Hawks finished in double figures for the first time this season.
- The all-time series is now tied at one.
- Dibula pulled in a season best seven rebounds, including five offensively.
- Monmouth knocked down a season-high six threes.
- Farrelly made a career best two triples.
- It marks three straight games Monmouth has reached double-digit assists as a team.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth shot 48.1% (13-of-27) in the second half.
- The Hawks shot 69.2% (9-of-13) from the foul line for the game.
- The Minutewomen won the rebounding battle, 40-31.
- UMass had more points in the paint, 40-26.
- Monmouth had more second chance points, 17-15.
- UMass had more bench points, 16-9.
- Monmouth lost the turnover battle, 17-12.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks play their third road game of the week with a matchup at Penn State on Sunday, Nov. 17. The game will be broadcast live on Big Ten+ at 1 p.m.