Box Score Montclair, NJ:  In a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball match-up, the Red Hawks of Montclair State, currently ranked #12/14 in the country, defeated the Roadrunners, 69-59 at Panzer Athletic Center on Montclair's campus.  With the ten-point victory, MSU improves to 19-2 overall, and 13-1 in the conference.  Ramapo falls to 10-11 overall and 7-7 in the conference.

Behind a double-double from Melissa Tobie, which included 19 points and 13 rebounds, the Red Hawks defeated the Roadrunners, 69-59, after falling behind Ramapo, 27-36 at halftime.  Janitza Aquino collected 18 points in the win and Nicosia Henry pulled down 13 rebounds, as the team shot a combined 23-63 (37%) from the field.  Aquino dished out a team high five assists and Henry grabbed seven steals.  The Red Hawks out rebounded the Roadrunners 41-31, and caused 19 Ramapo turnovers, while committing 13 of their own.  Ramapo hit 19-45 (42%) from the field, and was led with 16 points from Micaela Moore.  Anna Fucci netted 12 on the night.

Aquino drained a three-point goal and Sage Bennett followed with three points of her own to open the game for the Red Hawks, 6-0, in just under two minutes of play.  Ramapo quickly responded with a 9-0 run, sparked by Kelly Haspel and capped by Alayna Donadio, to jump ahead 9-6 with 15:30 on the clock.  Over the next four plus minutes of play, Ramapo worked their way to an eight point advantage, after a layup from Doris Ilic put Ramapo up 18-10.  Montclair would come within three points, 29-17, with 9:30 on the clock, but after a Roadrunner timeout, Ramapo would string together 14 points to Montclair's two, to earn a 15-point edge, 34-19, with 5:00 minutes flat on the clock.  The Red Hawks would hold Ramapo to just two more points, while sinking eight of their won, including two threes from Aquino, to come within nine points at the halftime buzzer.  Ramapo went 13-27 (48%) in the first half of play, behind ten points from Moore.  Aquino sank nine points in the half as the team went 10-34 (29%) combined.

Montclair spent the first ten minutes of the second half closing in on Ramapo, and they took over the lead with 9:36 left in the game, when Tobie scored two to go ahead, 46-45.  Montclair never looked back as they worked their way to a double-digit lead with 1:41 to play, after a mini 4-0 run, capped off by Jenny Malone, put the Red Hawks up, 65-55.  Montclair would take their biggest lead with just 33 seconds to play, as Tobie sank two good free throws to go ahead 69-56.  Fucci sank the last basket of the game, a three-pointer, to put Ramapo within ten, 59-69, with 24 ticks on the clock.  Ramapo was held to just six baskets in the final half, shooting a combined 6-18 (33%), while the Red Hawks sank 13-29 (45%), behind 17 points from Tobie. 

The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday, February 8th, when they travel to Rowan University for a 5pm tip.