Jersey City, NJ – Senior forward MELISSA TOBIE scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half while sophomore SAGE BENNETT totaled 15 points as No. 5/6 Montclair State rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 69-49 victory over New Jersey City on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman KATIE SIRE finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for the Red Hawks (15-1, 8-1 NJAC), who outscored the host Gothic Knights 40-20 over the final 20 minutes for their 23^rd straight victory over NJCU. Montclair leads the all-time series 54-3.

Bennett scored six points as MSU jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the first 4:04 of the game. NJCU countered with a 9-2 run over the next four minutes tying the game at 13-13 on Jade Medley's three-pointer.

A jumper by Sire off the break put Montclair State in front 21-15 however he hosts answered with another 9-2 run this one giving the Knights as 24-23 lead with 4:14 to go. After KATE TOBIE regained the lead for Montclair, sophomore ZOE CURTIS hit twice from the line making the score 29-25 but Bria Smith scored twice in the final 1:22 knotting the game at 29-29.

The second half would be a different story as MSU shot 52 percent (19-of-36) from the field while the Gothic Knights were the complete opposite end making just 5-of-27 attempts.

MELISSA TOBIE, who scored just two points in the first 20 minutes, quickly matched that with the go-ahead basket. KAYLA CEBALLOS drilled a three-pointer and JANITZA AQUINO put in a layup for a 36-29 MSU lead with 17:55 left.  Maintaining that lead for the next few minutes, MSU pushed the lead to double-digits and then took a 51-36 lead with 10 minutes to play as MELISSA TOBIE scored on a layup.

The Red Hawks never led by less than 15 the rest of the way.

MELISSA TOBIE finished with 12 rebounds and a pair of steals as she moved into third place on the all-time scoring list. Tobie passed Kim Wilson (1,757 points from 1987-1991) for the spot and now has 1,757 points in her career. Bennett added six rebounds, three blocks and two steals while Ceballos also had 12 points. Aquino chipped in with eight points and four assists.

The Red Hawks are back home on Wednesday, January 21 to begin the second half of its NJAC slate. Montclair hosts Kean University at the Panzer Athletic Center with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 pm.