Due to COVID regulations, SPECTATORS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO EVENTS AT THIS TIME. We look forward to the day when we can gather again and cheer on the Red Hawks in person and invite you to watch the games on our Red Hawk Sports Network YouTube Channel (Link available on the right)

Montclair, NJ – Less than 24 hours after picking up their first victory of the season, Montclair State looks to complete a home-and-home sweep of local rival William Paterson when the two square off in their NJAC contest at 2:00 pm.

ON THE AIR:
YouTube - Red Hawk Sports Network (Jack Barteck and Jess Liptzin)
WMSC Radio – Ben Petruk and Campbell Donovan

THE TEAMS:
Junior guard JULIA SUTTON scored 18 points and Montclair State got seven big points and six rebounds from sophomore SANIYA MYERS in a 58-51 win on Friday evening at the WPU Rec Center in Wayne, NJ.  Brianna Smith (21 pts., 11 rebs.) and Brianna Brooks (10 pts., 14 rebs) each posted double-doubles for William Paterson, which erased an 11-point halftime deficit in the third quarter. Montclair State led 31-20 at halftime, however, the first five minutes of the third quarter belonged to William Paterson as the hosts outscored MSU 17-5 to take a two-point lead. Smith began the comeback with a layup in the first 20 seconds and later tied the game at 32-32 making two from the free-throw line with 6:50 left. Hodges put MSU back on top with the next four points, however a Smith three-pointer and Brooks foul shot knotted the game at 36-36 and the Pioneers grabbed the lead on the next possession as Smith finished off a fastbreak. Myers regained the lead for the Red Hawks scoring the next five points starting with a three-point play with 3:36 left and putback 49 seconds later making the score 41-38. Myers would score again with 1:50 left and a three-pointer from Sutton with 39 ticks sent Montclair State into the final quarter with a 47-40 advantage. A NICKIE CARTER basket to begin the final quarter made it a nine-point lead with William Paterson getting as close as five points twice, the last with 5:39 remaining on a Brooks' basket that made the score 51-46. The Red Hawks countered with a KAYLA BUSH layup before Sutton's three widening the lead to 10 points with just under four minutes to play.

THE COACHES:
Erin Monahan (29^th Season): 498-239 overall
Karin Harvey (14th Season):  298-102 overall, 285-88 at Montclair State

KEY PLAYERS:

William Paterson
Brianna Smith (So., G, 5-6, Hillsdale, NJ)
21.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 47.1 FG%. 42.9 FT%, 3 AST

Brianna Brooks (Jr., G, 5-6, Saddle Brook)
10.0 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 30.0 FG%. 50.0 FT%, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

Justina Cabezas (Jr., F, 6-1, Carlstadt, NJ)
8.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 37.5 FG%. 66.7 FT%, 1 BLK

Montclair State
TAYLOR BROWN (Sr., G, 5-11, Trumbull, CT)
7.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 31.6 FG%. 3 AST, 7 BLK, 2 STL

KAYLA BUSH (Sr.,  F, 6-3, Morristown, NJ)
7.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 50.0 FG%. 60.0 FT%, 5 BLK

JULIA SUTTON (Jr., F, 5-7, Flemington, NJ)
11.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 38.1 FG%. 50.0 FT%, 3 3FGs

TEAM STATS:
William Paterson: 51.0 OFF, 58.0 DEF, 53.0 RPG, .317 FG%, .308 3FG%, .500 FT%
Montclair State: 56.0 OFF, 65.0 DEF, 46.0 RPG, .308 FG%, .149 3FG%, .714 FT%

ALL-TIME SERIES: (MSU Leads 57-35)
With Friday night's victory, Montclair posted its third consecutive win over the Pioneers and has won 19 of the last 20 meetings between the two schools, separated by nine miles. The teams first met in January of 1970 with MSU winning the initial contest 41-26. MSU would capture the first six contests before WPU broke through in January 1974, winning 52-41. William Paterson won eight in row during the mid-1990s and won 9-of-10 from 2008 through the 2011-12 campaign.

LAST 5 MEETINGS
2/5/2021: MSU 58, WPU 51
1/22/2020: MSU 60, WPU 51
11/26/2019: MSU 60, WPU 55
1/16/2019: WPU 75, MSU 62
11/20/2018: MSU 58, WPU 52
 
NEXT UP: The Red Hawks begin a two-game set with Kean University next weekend. Montclair will host the first contest at the Panzer Athletic Center on Friday, February 12 at 5:00 pm. The two complete the home-and-home on Saturday, February 13 at the Harwood Arena in Union, NJ with tip-off set for 1:00 pm.