2023-24 Monmouth Women's Basketball Game Twenty Preview
                                                                                       
Monmouth Hawks (13-6, 6-2 CAA) vs. Stony Brook (17-2, 7-1 CAA)
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 - 2:00 p.m.  
OceanFirst Bank Center - West Long Branch, N.J.

Watch
NBC Sports Phiadelphia/SNY/FloSports
Maria Marino (Play-by-Play)
Dei Lynam (Color)

Free Admission Game

OPENING TIP
• It's a quick turnaround as the Hawks welcome Stony Brook to the OceanFirst Bank Center for a match-up between two of the top teams in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) standings.
• It's National Girls and Women in Sports Day and fans will get free admission and have a chance to meet other female Hawks teams on the concourse.
• MU enters the game having won four straight contests and 11 of its last 13 contests.
• The Hawks and Seawolves are meeting for the eighth time in a series that Stony Brook leads 4-3. The two sides split their two meetings last season with each team winning on its home court.
• Rosalie Mercille scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the second half to help the Hawks secure the win over Towson.
• Monmouth recorded eight blocks on Friday night in the win over Towson. It was the sixth time this season the Hawks have posted eight or more blocks in a game.
• Monmouth outrebounded Towson, 44-29. It was the third straight game and seventh time this season the Hawks have outrebounded an opponent by +15. The Hawks are also 9-1 this year when they grab 40 or more rebounds.
• The Hawks knocked down 10 three-pointers in the win over Towson including eight in the second half. It was the third most three-pointers by the Hawks in a game this season. Rosalie Mercille led the way with a season-high four triples.
• The win over Towson on Friday night was head coach Ginny Boggess' 45th win in 83 games on the Monmouth sidelines. Boggess is the seventh head coach in program history to record 45 or more wins.
• Monmouth's victory over Towson was the Hawks' sixth CAA win of the year. With 10 games remaining, the Hawks need just three more victories to match last year's conference win total.

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSA
Freshman Rosalie Mercille turned in a big performance and finished with a game-high 16 points against Towson. Mercille scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half. She at one point scored eight straight points during a crucial third quarter run for the Hawks to retake the lead after Towson had tied the game at 30-30.

Mercille has now scored in double figures in back-to-back games and four times this season.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME
Monmouth picked up its sixth win of the season inside the friendly confines of the OceanFIrst Bank Center on Friday night. The Hawks have now won at least six games at home in all three seasons under head coach Ginny Boggess. Two of the keys to success at home for the Hawks has been the ability to make a three-pointer and a foul shot. The Hawks have made 23 more three-pointers than their opponents inside the OceanFirst Bank Center. Kaci Donovan has knocked down 22 triples at home this season. The Hawks have also made 30 more free throws than their opponents. Donovan has contributed 21 made free throws at home while Jania Hall has made 16 from the foul line.

FABULOUS AT FORTY 
Monmouth finished Friday's game versus Towson shooting 43.3% from the field. It was the 10th time the Hawks have shot 40% or better from the field and Monmouth is 9-1 in those contests. The Hawks shot a season-best 50% from the field in the win over St. John's and later matched that mark in the road win at Drexel.

LENDING A HELPING HAND 
Monmouth finished with 16 assists against Towson. It marked the Hawks' sixth straight game with double digit assists. Kaci Donovan had a career-high four assists while Belle Kranbuhl and Taisha Exanor added three assists each in that contest.

The Hawks have done a pretty good job of sharing the basketball this season. Friday's game was the 13th time this season that the Hawks have handed double digit assists and Monmouth is 11-2 in those contests. Eight different Hawks have handed out at least 10 assists this season. Leading that group is Sandrine Clesca, who has 50 helpers on the year. Jania Hall (36) and Belle Kranbuhl (38) join Clesca as the Hawks that have dished out 30 or more assists on the season. 

BE BIG IN THE LANE
The Hawks had eight blocks in Friday's win over Towson. Belle Kranbuhl led the Hawks with five rejections in that contest. 

It was the 14th time in 19 games that the Hawks have recorded at least five blocks in a game. The Hawks are currently tied for 9th nationally in blocks per game (5.7). Monmouth has posted at least eight blocks in a game six times this season. Belle Kranbuhl leads the Hawks with 47 blocks and ranks 19th nationally in blocks per game (2.33). Eleven different Hawks have recorded at least one block this season.

SHINING ON SUNDAY'S 
Monmouth has posted a 5-1 mark on Sundays this year, including a 4-0 record on Sundays in CAA play. The Hawks have a +7.5 scoring margin and a +14.3 rebounding margin in those contests. Five Hawks are averaging better than seven points per game on Sundays and that group is led by Ariana Vanderhoop, who is averaging 10.7 points per game. Belle Kranbuhl has 13 blocks in those games to lead the defensive efforts.

GOING DEEP
Monmouth hit 10 three-pointers in the win over Towson, including eight in the second half to break open a tie game. Rosalie Mercille hit a career-high four triples in the contest while five other Hawks connected on at least one triple. 

It was the third time this season the Hawks have made 10 or more three-pointers in a game and the first since Dec. 11. Five Hawks have hit at least 11 three-pointers this season and that group is led Kaci Donovan, who has 41. 

SCOUTING THE SEAWOLVES
Stony Brook has won two straight games and 12 of its last 13 contests following a 67-49 win over Hofstra on Friday night. The Seawolves are led by Gigi Gonzalez who is averaging 16.5 points per game. Khari Clark is contributing 15.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. 

UP NEXT
Monmouth puts its seven game road win streak on the line when it visits Northeastern on Friday, Feb. 9 at 12 p.m. The Hawks are back in the OceanFirst Bank Center on Sunday, Feb. 11 to host Delaware at 2 p.m.