Women's Basketball | 2/20/2017 4:15:00 PM

Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State women's basketball begins its quest for a fifth consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference championship when the Red Hawks host Rowan University in the semifinals at the Panzer Athletic Center on Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 pm.

The top-seeded Red Hawks (23-2) and fourth-seeded Profs (18-8) will meet for the third time this season with a berth in the conference title game on the line. Rowan, which has won five straight, advanced to the semifinals after eliminating fifth-seeded William Paterson 91-71 at home on Saturday.

Second-seeded Kean University and sixth-seeded Rutgers-Newark meet in the other semifinal with the winners battling on Saturday, February 25 in the championship game. Winner of the NJAC Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.

Tickets for the game are $5 for general admission and $2 for students, children and seniors. You can also catch the game on live video, live stats and live play-by-play call on WMSC 90.3 and wmscradio.com.

Wednesday's game will mark the second straight season the teams meet in the NJAC Tournament and the ninth time overall. Rowan holds the edge in those game, 5-3. Last year, Montclair State scored the final eight points for a 68-62 win over Rowan in the title contest. KATIE SIRE had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds while RACHAEL KRAUSS added 12, including a three-point field goal that ignited the run.

The semifinal marks the Red Hawks 25^th appearance in the NJAC Tournament which includes five conference crowns. MSU won the 1995 championship in addition to the last four seasons and has an 18-19 record in NJAC Tournament play.

Montclair State won both meetings this season the first a 67-57 victory in Glassboro on December 10. Sire finished with 20 points while ZOE CURTIS added a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. The Red Hawks outscored Rowan 21-10 in the fourth quarter to remain unbeaten on the year at the time.

Sire scored 20 points again leading four players in double figures leading MSU to a win in the rematch at the Panzer Athletic Center on January 28. Knotted at 31-31 in the third quarter, Montclair went on a 25-5 run over a six-minute span to build a 20-point advantage.

It will be a battle of the NJACs top offense in the Profs against the Red Hawks who lead the league in scoring defense. Rowan enters the game averaged 78.7 points per game while MSU is giving up just 50.4 points per contest. The two are also ranked 1-2 in the league in scoring margin – MSU No. 1 at +17.5 points per game; Rowan No. 2 at +11.8 points per contest.

Anyssa Sanchez leads the Rowan attack averaging 17.8 points per game while also pulling down 7.6 rebounds per game. Summer Crilley is also averaging in double figures (10.7 per game) and is
behind Sanchez in the rebounding department at 5.8 caroms per game. Valerie Garofalo has handed out 120 assists to go along with her 7.5 points per game scoring average.

Montclair, which is riding a current five-game winning streak, counters with Sire who is averaging 16.2 points per game and 8.4 rebounds while posting seven double-double performances on the year. All five starters for MSU average eight points or better including Curtis at 8.9 in addition to five rebounds per game. RACHAEL KRAUSS has connected on a team-best 61 three-point field goals while guard KATE TOBIE has 131 assists along with an 8.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per outing.