Newark, NJ – Senior forward MELISSA TOBIE (Elizabeth, NJ / Roselle Catholic) scored the first five points of the game and added 20 more finishing with a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds as No. 10/11 Montclair State powered its way past Rutgers-Newark, 68-41 at the Golden Dome on Wednesday evening.

Sophomore forward SAGE BENNETT (Sicklerville, NJ / Winslow) added nine points and 11 rebounds as the Red Hawks (18-1, 11-1 NJAC) allowed their second-lowest point total in winning their fourth straight contest. MSU also swept the season set with the Scarlet Raiders (10-9, 6-6 NJAC).

Tobie, who also added three assists, three blocks and three steals, scored on a layup 38 seconds into the contest and drilled a three-pointer just over a minute later before two foul shots by Bennett made the score 7-0 with 6:59 remaining. After Rutgers-Newark got on the board, Montclair scored the next nine point building a 16-2 advantage with 13:14 to go.

Bennett's three-point play got the lead to 16 points which MSU would maintain through a good portion of the first half. A three-point by Arianna Williams got the Scarlet Raiders within 31-19 however Tobie finished off her 13-point first half with a layup as the Red Hawks took a 33-19 lead into the locker room.

Montclair opened the half with the first nine points, five by JANITZA AQUINO (Kearny, NJ / Kearny) as the Red Hawks widened their lead to 44-19 with 15:53 left. Five consecutive points by Tobie gave Montclair its largest lead of the game at 49-20 with 14:41 left.

Tobie, who recorded her fifth consecutive double-double and eighth in the last nine games, finished 8-of-11 from the field including 3-of-4 from behind the arc. She surpassed the 1,800-point mark for her career joining Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Carol Blazejowski (3,199 from 1974-78) and MSU Hall of Famer Tracey Brown (1,923 from 1979-83) as the only players in program history to reach that mark. Tobie now has 1,806 points.

Aquino chipped in with eight points while freshman KATIE SIRE (Hazlet, NJ / Raritan) added six points and five rebounds. Junior guard KAYLA CEBALLOS (Brooklyn, NY / Christ the King) collected six points along with a pair of rebounds.

The Red Hawks are back in action on Saturday, January 31 traveling to Mahwah, NJ to face Ramapo College at 1:00 pm.