Monmouth women's basketball tops Saint Peter's, 66-62, in OT; Jen Louro leads way with 16

Monmouth survived a strong Saint Peter’s run at the end of regulation, before securing its second home win in three days with a 66-62 overtime victory at OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch Monday.

Senior guard Jen Louro led the way with a season-high 16 points. Sophomore center Belle Kranbuhl added 15 points, and graduate point guard Stella Clark finished with 10 points and eight assists.

The win keeps Monmouth (12-8, 7-4) in fourth place in the MAAC standings, with the top five at the end of the regular season receiving first-round byes at the MAAC Tournament.

“This team is a gritty team. They fought it out, they gutted it out, and I’m really proud of this young team. They’re growing up before our eyes,” said Monmouth head coach Ginny Boggess.

Saint Peter’s (8-12, 5-6), which lost its third straight, got 19 points from Kendrea Williams, whose 3-pointer with nine seconds left in regulation tied the game, and 17 points from Kassondra Brown.

Saint Peter’s made it a one-possession game with a Kaila Dawkins layup with 54 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, cutting Monmouth’s lead to 58-56. Kranbuhl sank a free throw with 13 seconds to play, before Williams tied it with a triple from the left shoulder. Monmouth had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but Ariana Vanderhoop was unable to convert in the paint.

In the extra session, a Lucy Thomas jumper and a pair of Kaci Donovan free throws gave Monmouth a quick four-point lead. It was a two-point game in the final minute when Vanderhoop’s free throw with 26 seconds left made it 65-62. After a defensive stop, Brianna Livingston’s free throw with 10 seconds left sealed the victory.

Monmouth used a strong third quarter surge to overcome a halftime deficit for the second straight game. This time it was 24-10 burst, two day after outscoring Quinnipiac, 21-10, in the third quarter en route to a victory.

Leading 47-40 after three quarters, Monmouth’s lead was cut to 47-44 with 8:46 to play. Then Louro drained a pair of 3-pointers within a 37 second span to give the Hawk some breathing room. After a steal by Vanderhoop, it was Louro finishing at the other end to increase the lead to 55-44 with 7:37 left.

Monmouth women's basketball tops Quinnipiac, 64-55, as Stella Clark hits for 14

WEST LONG BRANCH – Monmouth women's basketball continued punching above its weight class in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Sunday

This time it was the Hawks completing a regular-season sweep of second-place Quinnipiac, the MAAC preseason favorites, with a 64-55 victory at OceanFirst Bank Center.

In erasing a halftime deficit, Monmouth, picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll, went on a 21-10 third quarter tear to take an eight-point lead, before turning back a Quinnipiac rally that tied the game with less than two minutes to play.

Monmouth made nine free throws and a series of defensive stops in the final 1:43 to break a 55-all tie.

Leading a balanced attack for Monmouth (11-8, 6-4) was graduate point guard Stella Clark, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, as the Hawks snapped a two-game skid.

“When we came out for the second half we were saying we were going to hit first,” Clark said. “And that was our main goal, hitting first and not letting up from there. We’re all still learning a lot, but when we’re attacking and we’re aggressive we’re at our best.”

At the midway point of the MAAC regular season, Monmouth sits in fourth place, with the top five finishers receiving a first-round bye at the MAAC Tournament.

“All year we’ve been talking about it, out-team the other team, and they have a really good team. And today it took everybody, and it took all 40 (minutes),” Monmouth coach Ginny Boggess said.

“I told them “you’re not going to sneak up on anyone anymore. You’re going to get everyone’s best. You’re a good team,’ and I think they’re starting to understand that. And we knew Quinnipiac was going to come in here and take a shot at us.”

Local talent

The game had a distinct Shore Conference flavor.

Monmouth’s lineup featured four players from the area, including Clark (Manasquan), Jen Louro (St. Rose), Lucy Thomas (St. Rose) and Antonia Panayides (Red Bank Catholic). Quinnipiac had Rose Caverly, a senior guard from Red Bank Catholic, and senior guard Sajada Bonner from St. John Vianney.

Quinnipiac (13-8, 8-4) played without senior guard Mackenzie DeWees, who entered the weekend ninth in scoring in the MAAC at 13.7 ppg, while grabbing 7.7 rebounds. Jackie Grisdale led all scorers with 17 points for the Bobcats.

After Monmouth built an eight-point lead on a Panayides 3-pointer with 5:55 to play, Quinnipiac went on a 10-2 run to tie the game, as Mikala Morris scored back-to-back baskets inside to make it 55-all with 2:50 remaining before Monmouth made its final push.

Monmouth did a much better job protecting the ball, turning it over 13 times. They had been averaging 20.4 per-game.

The Hawks took their first lead of the game at 36-34 on a 12-footer by Hall. And after Grisdale scored to tie the game, A steal by Thomas led to a Vanderhoop drive and score, before a steal by Brianna Livingston resulted in a Kaci Donovan layup at the other end to give Monmouth a 40-36 lead with 4:06 to play in the third quarter.

As the game got underway, Monmouth was ice cold from the floor, hitting on just two of their first 17 shots as Quinnipiac built an 18-5 lead. But the Hawks closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run, as Louro and Panayides hit 3-pointers.

The Hawks continued to close the gap in the second quarter, with a 6-0 run powered by 3-pointers from Donovan and Panayides cutting the Bobcats’ lad to 23-21. A Clark triple with 2:46 left made it a one-point game, with Quinnipiac getting to halftime with a 29-26 advantage.

Monmouth women's basketball downs Rider, 63-53, as Stella Clark scores 18

Guard Stella Clark took care of business on the outside, scoring a game-high 18 points, while Belle Kranbuhl dominated in the paint, adding 12 points while grabbing seven rebounds and blocking seven shots, as Monmouth rolled to a 63-53 victory over Rider at OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch Thursday.

It was a bounce-back performance for the Hawks (10-6, 5-2) after Monday's loss to Fairfield in a first-place MAAC showdown, winning for the third time during a stretch of four games in eight days.

Monmouth remains in second place heading into Sunday's game (6 p.m.) at Manhattan.

Ariana Vanderhoop added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists for Monmouth, which beat Rider for the first time in four years.

“This felt like a rivalry game. It was truly a battle," Monmouth coach Ginny Boggess said. "I’m proud of the response after a slow start and how we kept our composure down the stretch to secure the win.”

Monmouth traild 31-26 at halftime, before rallying in the third quarter to take a 44-41 lead, extending that advantage over the final 10 minutes.

For Clark, a graduate transfer from Northeastern, it was her ninth game in double-figures this season, with the Sea Girt native grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists.

Kaci Donovan added nine points for Monmouth, which has double-digit wins for the first time since the 2018-19 season, which was also the last time they won as many as six games at home.

Monmouth was without starting guard Jen Louro (ankle) and top reserve Kayla Richardson (shoulder) for the fourth straight game.

Monmouth women's basketball falls to Fairfield, 61-54, in first-place MAAC battle

WEST LONG BRANCH – No one said the Monmouth women’s basketball rebuild would be without some anguishing moments. And the toughest one so far came Monday night against first-place Fairfield.

With a chance to challenge Fairfield atop the standings, it was the Stags and MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Lou Lopez-Seneghal dashing Monmouth’s hopes at OceanFirst Bank Center.

After leading through each of the first three quarters, Monmouth, playing its third game in five days, was unable to hold Fairfield off over the final 10 minutes, falling, 61-54, as Lopez-Senechal scored a game-high 21 points.

“I thought tonight we looked like we belonged among the best teams in this league,” first-year head coach Ginny Boggess said. “I’m encouraged, I’m disappointed. But a lot to build on.”

Monmouth (9-6, 4-2 MAAC), picked to finish 10th in the league, could have moved into first with the top winning percentage. The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 1, but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols at Monmouth.

Penn State transfer Kaci Donovan led Monmouth with 15 points, while senior forward Lucy Thomas added 14.

“I believe this team has a real bright future in the coming weeks,” Donovan said, “If we just keep playing as a collective whole a lot of great things can happen.”

Stags rally

After Monmouth took its final lead at 50-48 lead on a Thomas drive, Fairfield (11-6, 8-1) scored six straight, including a steal and layup by Janelle Brown, to go up 54-40. A 15-footer by Ariana Vanderhoop made it a two-point game, but that was as close as Monmouth would get.

A Fairfield rally in the final quarter, led by Callie Cavanaugh, who finished with 14 points, put them on top 58-52 with 1:35 to play. A Donovan basket cut the Fairfield lead to 58-54 with 1:22 to play, before Lopez-Senechal, who has scored 20 or more in eight straight games, sank a free throw to make it a five-point lead with 41.2 seconds to play.

Monmouth was without starting guard Jen Louro (ankle) and top reserve Kayla Richardson (shoulder) for the third straight game.

“We just fell short,” Boggess said. “They outscored us 39-20 in second and fourth quarters. Just fatigue and lack of depth. Not making excuses. Credit them, but it really hurt not having Jen and Kayla tonight.”

Monmouth’s three-point halftime cushion evaporated quickly, as Fairfield scored the first six points of the third quarter, before Donovan hit an open 3-pointer off a kick out from Stella Clark to even matters at 32-all. After Fairfield took the lead at 37-36, Monmouth went on an 8-1 run to take a six-point lead after three straight baskets by center Belle Kranbuhl.

"I know the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, but I feel like people stepped up and did what they had to, and it's coming to come around for us," Thomas said.

Flying start for Hawks

The start could not have been better for Monmouth, racing out to an 8-0 lead just 3:13 in, with four different players scoring. Then Donovan drained a pair of 3-pointers, before Alexa Wallace hit one in the final minute, as Monmouth built a 19-9 lead after one quarter.

After a Thomas score, it was Donovan scoring on a fast break to give Monmouth a 23-12 lead, before Sam Lewis and Andrea Hernangomez sank 3-pointer 25 seconds apart, with Boggess calling a timeout.e

The Hawks scored four quick points, with Ariana Vanderhoop sinking a pair of free throws and Jania Hall scoring ahead of the field off a feed from Clark to go up 27-17. Then Lopez-Senechal hit a triple, before connecting on two free throws with 2:37 left in the second quarter to make it a five-point game.

The lead eventually shrank to one, before Clark scored on a drive in the final minute to give Monmouth a 29-26 halftime lead.

Game preview: Monmouth women's basketball vs. Fairfield - 3 keys as first-place MAAC showdown looms

WEST LONG BRANCH – When the Monmouth women’s basketball team takes the court at OceanFirst Bank Center Monday night (7 p.m./ESPN3), first place in the MAAC will be within reach.

Take a moment to let that sink in.

The team picked to finish 10th among the league 11 teams in the preseason poll has a battle for the top spot in the standings against Fairfield.

And while there’s still a long way to go before the MAAC Tournament gets underway in Atlantic City in early March, it’s simply the latest reminder of just how far the program has come in a short time under first-year coach Ginny Boggess.

Monmouth (9-5, 4-1) would have the top winning percentage in the league with a win, while moving a game ahead of Fairfield and Siena in the loss column. The Hawks have won two-in-a-row, and five of their last six, with three of their losses this season coming against high-major opponents.

This from a team that won 11 games total over the previous two seasons. A win would give Monmouth its first 5-1 start in league action since winning five of their first six NEC games in 1996-97.

Fairfield (10-6, 7-1) had its seven-game winning streak snapped Saturday in a 69-56 loss at Siena.

At the top of the defensive to-do list is containing Lou Lopez-Senechal, the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year who has scored 20 or more points in seven straight games. The 6-1 senior tops the MAAC at 20.4 point-per-game, four points better than the next highest average.

Monmouth is led by former Manasquan standout Stella Clark, with the 5-4 point guard, a graduate transfer from Northeastern, averaging 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds, both team highs. In her last seven games, Clark is averaging 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

Sophomore guard Kaci Donovan is averaging 10 points over the last four games, while sophomore guard Ariana Vanderhoop is averaging 9.3 points over the same period.

Monmouth could be without starting guard Jen Louro (ankle) and guard Kayla Richardson (shoulder), a top reserve, with each having missed the last two games.

Here are three keys for Monmouth. And check back right here Monday night for complete coverage of the Hawks’ first-place showdown:

1. Protect the ball

Fairfield is No. 1 in the MAAC in turnover margin, forcing on average four more turnovers than they commit. Monmouth has struggled with turnovers, averaging 20.4 per game. In a close game, the ability to take care of the ball could be the difference.

Monmouth has turned the ball over 81 times in its last three games. Marist scored 31 points off turnovers in a win over the Hawks three games back. If there’s an issue that can hold this team back, this is it.

2. Strong inside

Center Belle Kranbuhl has to be a solid presence in the paint at both ends of the court for Monmouth. The 6-3 Kranbuhl is averaging 6.2 rebounds, while Monmouth is third in the MAAC in rebounding.

In Fairfield’s loss to Siena, 6-1 forward Andrea Hernangomez, one of the MAAC’s top rebounders, played just 14 minutes due to early foul trouble, which limited her to just two points and no rebounds. Pounding the ball inside to Kranbuhl and Lucy Thomas is a key.

3. Homecourt advantage

Playing well at home has been one of Boggess’ themes this season. Monmouth’s 4-2 at home this season, having lost to national-ranked Oregon State and St. Francis Brooklyn in overtime.

It’s the foundation from which all good teams can build, and winning a big game on campus would go a long way towards establishing OFBC as a place opposing teams dread. A win would be Monmouth's first three-game home winning streak since 2017-18.

COVID-19 protocols

If you go to Monday night's game, Monmouth requires all fans 18 and over to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test administered by a doctor's office or a clinic within 72 hours of the event. Home test kit results will not be accepted.

In addition, all event audiences must wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth of the participant. Face shields are not acceptable. This includes fans from 2-17 years of age.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth women's basketball tops Saint Peter's, 66-62, in OT