Box Score
MONTCLAIR, NJ – Montclair State University had three players that scored in double figures for a 67-63 conference win over Rowan University on Saturday.
Guard Jessica Garrabrant (sr. Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) led the Red Hawks with 16 points and nine rebounds. Forward Catherine Cristino (so. Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) and guard Kisandra Ayanbeku (so. Burlington, MA/Randolph) each contributed with 10 points. Ayanbeku also grabbed seven rebounds.
Montclair State and Rowan both have a 13-8 record and a 6-4 mark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Red Hawks are in the North Division of the conference while the Profs are in the South.
For Rowan, forward Jessica Nimbley (so. Middletown, NJ/St. John Vianney) scored a game-high 25 points and it was also a career-high. Nimbley pulled down nine boards. Forward Ashley Cieplicki (jr. Haworth, NJ/Dumont) compiled 14 points and guard Gina Catanzariti (fr. Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) had 12.
MSU was ahead 37-28 after the first half. The Red Hawks started the last period with two baskets to lead by 13 points (41-28) at 19:18. Garrabrant made the first bucket and guard Marianne McGovern (jr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) had the second. Rowan came back to tie the score at 43 (14:17) with a 15-2 run in a five minute span. Cieplicki contributed with seven points while Nimbley and Catanzarti added four apiece in the surge. MSU answered with eight straight points for a 51-43 advantage at 11:25. Cristino made four of the eight points. Nimbley’s layup pulled the Profs within two points (53-51) with 8:15 remaining.
The Red Hawks went back up by six points (57-51) after Garrabrant’s layup at 7:23. The Profs scored six points to tie the score at 57 (4:50). Montclair State made three straight baskets to lead 63-57 at 3:13. Guard Jamilee Pflug (so. Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) hit the first two and Cristino made the third. The Profs cut the deficit to two points (65-63) with Nimbley’s layup at the 40 second mark. Garrabrant nailed a jumper with 16 seconds left for the final score. Nimbley led all scorers in the second half with 15 points.
The score was tied five times in the first half. Cristino made a foul shot at 6:29 that tied the game for the fifth time and her second put MSU on top 20-19. Forward Amanda Jennings (so. Turnersville, NJ/Washington Twp.) had a layup that gave the Profs the lead (21-20) with 6:08 left. The two teams exchanged baskets before the Red Hawks held on to the lead for the remainder of the period.
Garrabrant’s layup made the score 24-23 in favor of MSU at 4:18. The Red Hawks added six more points for a seven point advantage (30-23) with 2:42 remaining. At the 27 second mark, Garrabrant sank two free throws for a nine point advantage (37-28) at the intermission. She totaled 10 points in the first half.
Rowan will host Trinity University (DC) in a nonconference game on Wednesday, February 13 at 7 p.m.
