The Monmouth Women’s Basketball picked up their first home win of the season against Binghamton Monday night at the Hackensack Meridian Athletic Center (HMAC).
The Hawks never trailed in the game and took care of business with a dominant 63-40 non-conference win over the Bearcats.
Monmouth earned their first points of the night when CAA Pre-season Player of the Year pick Gigi Gamble made a layup on a fast break. Both teams came onto the court with high intensity but Monmouth dominated offensively and scored 10 unanswered points during the last 6:23 of the quarter to secure a 14-4 lead. Gamble and fellow pre-season conference favorite Divine Dibula, who made the preseason All-CAA First Team, combined for eight of the Hawks’ 14 points.
The Bearcats were closest to the Hawks in the third quarter when they got within 27-21 with 8:36 left in the quarter. Monmouth responded and turned up offensively when Junior Vanessa McManus scored her first points of the game on a three-point jumper followed by a 12-2 run with 4:30 to go in the quarter. The frame ended with the Hawks leading 45-31.
Monmouth continued to build its lead as sophomore Claudia Xaudaro knocked down a three-pointer securing her first points of the game, with an assist from sophomore Madalena Amaro. This brought the team ahead 52-32 with 5:53 remaining. Gamble scored back-to-back points off a fast break, hitting a three-pointer before following that play with a steal from Binghamton and a two-point layup on the fast break.
Gamble led the team with a game high of 19 points while Dibula finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Sophomore Kathy Kersaint had 8 rebounds and Amaro followed with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
The loss brings Binghamton to 0-1 overall, while Monmouth currently stands at 1-0 overall and will take on Lehigh at home on Friday, Nov. 6.
