Box Score
MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Montclair State University women’s basketball team held on for a 62-58 win over visiting Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) contest on Saturday.
The Red Hawks have a 12-6 record with a four game win streak and they are 3-4 in the conference. The Profs drop to 6-11 overall and 1-6 in the NJAC.
With 38 seconds left in the game, center Kate Matthews (fr. Clarks, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) made a layup and Rowan trailed 58-56. Montclair State had a jumper by forward Melissa Tobie (fr. Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) at the 12-second mark. Matthews answered with two foul shots (0:06) that made the score 60-58. With two seconds left, Tobie sealed the victory by converting two free throws.
Tobie finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Guard Theresa Towns (so. Morristown, NJ/Morristown) totaled 13 points and six boards. Guard Michelle Montagna (jr. New Providence, NJ/New Providence) chipped in with 11 points off the bench. Forward Colleen Kelly (jr. Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
For Rowan, Matthews scored a career high 19 points, 15 in the second half. Forward Kaitlin Schullstrom (fr. Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) contributed with nine points and forward Lauren Creel (sr. Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) followed with eight. Forward Lauren Gregg (sr. Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) and guard Ashley Waring (sr. Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) each added seven points. Guard Alissa Lamey (sr. Northfield, NJ/Mainland Reg.) collected seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Red Hawks started the final period with a six-point advantage (32-26). Towns’ basket at 15:18 increased the lead to 11 (41-30). Her layup at 12:25 put MSU up by 13 (45-32). Rowan answered with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to six (45-39) with 10:54 remaining. Gregg nailed a three while Lamey and Matthews had two points apiece. Montagna’s three at 6:50 made the score 54-44. The Profs tallied nine straight points to pull within one (54-53) at 3:14. Matthews had a three-point play while Gregg, Creel and Schullstrom each had a basket. Tobie had a layup at 2:46 (56-53). Matthews then made the second of two foul shots (2:40) and Rowan was down by two. Towns recorded a steal then a layup (58-54) with 47 seconds remaining.
There were four ties in the first half. MSU had the first two with baskets by forward Taylor Jeffers (jr. Franklin Twp., NJ/Franklin) at 16:14 (2-2) and Montagna at 15:25 (4-4). Waring hit a three at 4:49 for a two-point lead (19-17). Tobie’s layup tied the score (19-19) for the third time with 4:38 left. Lamey followed with a layup at 3:52 for a two-point advantage (21-19). The Red Hawks posted a 10-0 run to go ahead 29-21 at 1:45. Forward Sara Farrell (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) made the tying basket (21-21) at 3:29. She had three points in the surge along with guard Jamie Erickson (sr. Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central). Towns and Tobie each contributed with two. Schullstrom’s layup (1:34) and three-pointer (0:53) pulled the Profs within three (29-26). Tobie had the last basket of the period (0:09). The Red Hawks were ahead 32-26 at the break.
Rowan travels to the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Monday, January 23 for a 7 p.m. nonconference game.
