2023-24 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Twenty-Three Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (14-8, 7-4 CAA) at Campbell (12-10, 5-6 CAA)
Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 - 7:00 p.m.  
Gore Arena - Buies Creek, N.C.

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OPENING TIP
• It's back on the road for the Hawks as Monmouth opens a weekend in North Carolina with a game at Campbell on Friday night.
• MU will ride an eight-game road win streak into the match-up with the Camels. Monmouth is tied for the longest road win streak in program history and currently is tied for the fourth longest road win streak in the country.
• It will be the second meeting this season between the two schools. Monmouth battled for a 49-47 win in a defensive battle in January.
• Monmouth blocked a season-high 12 shots on Sunday against Delaware. Taisha Exanor and Ella Farrelly led the way with four blocks a piece.
• Kaci Donovan hit three three-pointers against Delaware. That raised her season total to 45 and her career total to 130. She need five more triples to move into the top 10 for career three-pointers at Monmouth.
• The Hawks held a 47-40 edge in the rebounding battle against Delaware. It was the 18th time this season Monmouth has won the rebounding battle.
• This game will feature two of the top scoring defenses in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). Both teams are surrendering less than 60 points per game.
• MU continues to lead the CAA in rebounding margin. The Hawks enters play this weekend with a +9.1 rebounding margin on the season.
• With just seven games remaining in the CAA regular season schedule, the Hawks currently sit in fifth in the CAA standings.

NUMBERS FROM THE ROAD
The win over Northeastern on Feb. 9 stretched the Hawks' current win road streak to eight straight games. Monmouth entered play this week tied for the fourth longest road win streak in Division I women's basketball. The Hawks tied the 2002-03 team for the longest road win streak in program history with the win over the Huskies. Monmouth will look to set the mark on Feb. 16 at Campbell. 

POINTS AT A PREMIUM  
Points will be at a premium when Campbell and Monmouth meet on Friday night. Monmouth enters play this weekend ranked fifth in the CAA for scoring defense at 57.8 points per game. The Hawks have held five opponents to 50 points or less this season. Campbell leads the CAA in scoring defense at 54.5 points per game and has held nine opponents to 50 points or less. When the two sides met earlier this season at Monmouth, the final score was 49-47.

GOING DEEP
Kaci Donovan knocked down three three-pointers for the Hawks against Delaware. It gave her 45 for the season. She has made at least 45 triples in two of her three seasons with the Hawks. Donovan now has 130 career made three-pointers at Monmouth. She needs five more three-pointers to move into the top 10 for career three-pointers made at Monmouth. 

BE BIG IN THE LANE
The Hawks blocked a season-high 12 shots against Delaware, just three shy of the school record for blocks in a single-game. Taisha Exanor and Ella Farrelly led the way with four blocks each. Farrelly's four rejections were a career-high for the sophomore. 

So far this season, the Hawks have recorded at least six blocks in 13 of 22 games. The Hawks are tied for 5th nationally in blocks per game (6.0). Monmouth has posted at least eight blocks in a game seven times this season. Belle Kranbuhl leads the Hawks with 55 blocks and ranks 16th nationally in blocks per game (2.50). Twelve different Hawks have recorded at least one block this season.

LENDING A HELPING HAND 
Monmouth finished with 15 assists against Delaware. Ariana Vanderhoop finished with four helpers to lead the Hawks' efforts in the contest.

The Hawks have done a pretty good job of sharing the basketball this season. Sunday's game against Delaware was the 15th time this season that the Hawks have handed double digit assists and Monmouth is 12-3 in those contests. Nine different Hawks have handed out at least 10 assists this season. Leading that group is Sandrine Clesca, who has 56 helpers on the year. Jania Hall (39) and Belle Kranbuhl (39) along with Vanderhoop (32) join Clesca as the Hawks that have dished out 30 or more assists on the season. 

CLEANING THE GLASS
Monmouth won the rebounding battle against Delaware, 47-40. Ariana Vanderhoop had 10 rebounds in the game to lead the way while all 10 Hawks who appeared in that game registered at least two rebounds. 

Monmouth has now outrebounded their opponent in 18 games this season. The Hawks entered play Friday leading the CAA with a +9.1 rebounding margin. 

The Hawks are 10-2 this season when they pull down 40 or more rebounds in a game and 11-0 when they win the rebounding battle by a +10 margin. Belle Kranbuhl is averaging a team-best 7.2 rebounds per game while four other Hawks are averaging better than four rebounds per game.

800 AND COUNTING 
Kaci Donovan led the Hawks with 17 points against Delaware. That gave her 280 for the season and 814 for her Monmouth career. Donovan became the 26th player in program history to score at least 800 points at Monmouth and the first since Lucy Thomas (2018-23).

SCOUTING THE CAMELS
Campbell sits at 12-10 overall and 5-6 in the CAA. The Camels had  a three-game win streak snapped with a 65-51 loss to Charleston last time out. Campbell is led by Christabel Ezumah who is averaging 12.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Shy Tuelle adds 9.1 points per game. 

UP NEXT
Monmouth remains on the road to face North Carolina A&T on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.