Monmouth women’s basketball improved to 2-0 on Friday, Nov. 6, after defeating the Lehigh Mountain Hawks 75-67 at OceanFirst Bank Center. The Hawks were led by Gigi Gamble, who finished with a game-high 28 points and dropped a defender to hit a clutch three-pointer in the final minute, helping Monmouth survive a late Lehigh comeback.
Monmouth entered the fourth quarter with a 63-51 lead after controlling much of the second and third quarters. However, Lehigh refused to go away, opening the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run and eventually tying the game at 65-65 with just over three minutes to go.
With the Hawks holding on to a one-point lead late in the game, Kathy Kersaint had a big steal, snatching hope away from Lehigh and giving Monmouth another possession. Then came the Gamble takeover, using a crossover to create separation from her defender before knocking down a step-back three-pointer with 30.5 seconds remaining. The shot gave Monmouth a 69-65 lead and proved to be the biggest play of the night.
Lehigh made one more push and answered with a basket to cut the lead back to two, but Vanessa McManus knocked down two free throws, and the Hawks went a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final 18 seconds to seal the 75-67 victory.
The game started as a closely contested matchup, with neither team able to create much separation in the opening quarter. Divine Dibula led the way early for Monmouth, scoring the Hawks’ first seven points and becoming the Hawks’ main focus on offense. A late layup by McManus gave Monmouth a 13-11 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Hawks started to find their groove offensively in the second quarter, especially from beyond the arc. Gamble connected on two three-pointers, while Kersaint added two of her own to help Monmouth build its lead, raining threes down on Lehigh. The Hawks made four three-pointers during the quarter and outscored Lehigh 26-21.
Dibula remained a problem in the paint for Lehigh, finishing the first half with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Monmouth then entered halftime leading 39-32 despite having some trouble taking care of the basketball.
Lehigh came out of the locker room firing, connecting on three consecutive three-pointers to start the second half. The run brought the Mountain Hawks within one point, 42-41, and forced Monmouth to call a timeout.
Monmouth came out of the timeout regrouped, and then came the McManus magic as she pulled off a four-point play, shifting the momentum back in the Hawks’ favor. Gamble then took over offensively, scoring 14 points in the third quarter alone and helping Monmouth regain control of the game.
Monmouth built its lead to as many as 17 points in the quarter before Lehigh cut the deficit to 12 heading into the fourth quarter.
Although Monmouth struggled offensively in the final quarter, scoring just 12 points, the Hawks made the plays that mattered most and held on for a home win. Gamble’s late ankle-breaking three-pointer and the Hawks’ consistent free-throw shooting down the stretch prevented Lehigh from completing the comeback on the road.
Gamble finished with 28 points, six rebounds and four three-pointers. Dibula added 21 points and nine rebounds, while McManus contributed 12 points. Kersaint also played an important role, finishing with 10 points and four steals, including the steal that helped set up Gamble’s electric late shot.
For Lehigh, Ryann Jennings led the way with 19 points, while Leia Edwards added 18 points and eight rebounds. The Mountain Hawks dropped to 0-2 with the loss.
Monmouth won the battle on the glass, rebounding 36-27, and scored 23 points off Lehigh turnovers. The Hawks also held a 14-6 advantage in fast-break points, helping offset their own turnover struggles throughout the game.
The win gave Monmouth its second victory of the season and showed the team’s ability to respond under pressure in clutch late-game scenarios.
The Hawks will now travel to Piscataway to face in-state rival Rutgers on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m., looking to keep their undefeated start alive.
