FINAL SCORE
Monmouth (2-6) – 60
Lafayette (2-5) – 54
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Center Belle Kranbuhl had a season-high 15 points and 13 rebounds, while forward Taisha Exanor added 14 and 13 of her own as the Monmouth Women's Basketball Team defeated to Lafayette Leopards, 60-54, on Sunday afternoon at the OceanFirst Bank Center.

It's the second time a pair of Hawks have gone for a double-double in the same game this season and the second straight win for the team.

Kranbuhl got off to a hot start scoring the first six points of the game for the Hawks offense. She would add two more in the second quarter to bring her to eight points with eight rebounds, as Monmouth led a low-scoring first half, 21-15. The two teams combined for 15-of-65 shooting in the first 20 minutes.
 
The second half featured much more offense as Jaye Haynes led Monmouth with 11 points. The Hawks went on a 6-0 run that prompted a Leopards timeout midway through the third at 4:48. Redshirt freshman guard Kellyn Preira knocked down a three for her first career points to kickstart the run.

Monmouth would eventually lead as many as nine after a pair of free throws made by Exanor at 7:27 in the fourth. Lafayette was able to get it within two with 2:16 remaining, but the Hawks defense held strong down the stretch for the win.
 
NOTES & QUOTES
"We talked about our execution and running our plays a little bit better. They were playing quite a bit of zone, so it was important for us to find that space and those gaps.
 
I thought the right people stepped up at the right time. We wanted to stop settling for so many threes like we did in the first half, and we were finally able to get some more paint touches. That really helped us." – Head Coach Cait Wetmore on halftime adjustments
 
"We noticed the shooting numbers at the half, and said we needed to work the ball inside more and kick it back out if need be. When the double teams came, we did just that. We just kept it simple." – Belle Kranbuhl on getting involved in the post
 
- Kranbuhl had a season best 15 points and 13 rebounds.
- It's the second time two Hawks recorded a double-double in the same game (Kranbuhl/Farrelly, Sacred Heart 11/21/24).
- Three Hawks scored in double figures for the third time this season.
- Monmouth leads the all-time series, 7-3.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
- The game featured just one lead change and two ties.
- Monmouth led for 35:27, while Lafayette only led for 2:30.
- The Hawks won the rebounding battle, 43-38.
- Monmouth outscored Lafayette, 9-6, off turnovers.
- Monmouth had more points in the paint, 22-12.
- Monmouth had more second chance points, 12-2.
- MU outscored the Leopards on fast breaks, 7-0.
- MU had more bench points, 7-4.
- Both teams had 12 turnovers.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks finish the three-game homestand versus Rider on Thursday, Dec. 5. The game will be broadcast live on FloCollege, NBC Sports Philadelphia and SNY at 7 p.m.