Montclair, NJ- The Montclair State Women's Basketball team is back home and looking for their 10^th-straight New Jersey Athletic Conference victory as they host an all-important game against rival William Paterson on Wednesday.
 
GAME INFO
The conference showdown will take place in the Panzer Athletic Center at 5:30 pm. Live coverage of the game can be found at montclairathletics.com

LAST TIME OUT
Montclair returned home with their seventh-consecutive victory and ninth-straight conference win as they downed Rutgers-Newark, 68-31 on Saturday evening. The Red Hawks (15-3, 9-2 NJAC) raced out to a 12-2 advantage over the opening five minutes, led by six points from OLIVIA VERO and four from ALYSSA CRAIGWELL. Montclair later expanded the margin to 15, a run highlighted by a fastbreak layup from SHANNON HUGHES and another bucket from Craigwell. The Scarlet Raiders trimmed the deficit slightly to make the score 21-7 in favor of the visitors at the end of the opening stanza. Montclair continued to hold the advantage through the early stages of the second, as they built the lead up to 18 at the 6:07 mark on a layup in the paint from Vero. Right after the quarter's halfway mark, the Red Hawks rattled off 10-straight points, including five in a row from AMANDA CASTRO. Back-to-back makes from BRIANNA MONTAJES and ALEXIS STROLLO pushed the margin to 28 at the half for the Red Hawks. The visitors kicked off the second half with the first 11 points, a run finished by a tip-in from Montajes at the 5:52 mark to make the score 55-16. The Montclair defense held Rutgers-Newark to seven points the entire quarter, as Strollo connected on a three-point shot in the waning moments of the frame to put the Red Hawks up 35 going into the final quarter. Rutgers-Newark opened the fourth with the opening two baskets, but Montclair pushed the lead back up to 38 a few minutes later on a three-pointer from Hughes and a layup from Craigwell. Defenses tightened up for both sides, as they held each other scoreless for the next four minutes. Montclair closed out the contest for the road triumph and their New Jersey Athletic Conference-leading ninth victory in league play.
 
TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (15-3, 9-2 NJAC)
Points Per Game: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, 15.4
Rebounds Per Game: OLIVIA VERO, 7.8
Field goal percentage: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, .483
Three Point Percentage: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, .379
Free throw Percentage: BRIANNA MONTAJES, .731
Assists: SOPHIE BENEVENTINE, 79
Steals: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, 40
Blocks: OLIVIA VERO, 25
 

WILLIAM PATERSON (13-5, 9-2 NJAC)
Points Per Game: Renee Wells, 13.9
Rebounds Per Game: Patty Walsh, 6.8
Field goal percentage: Leilani Pinder .447
Three Point Percentage: Victoria Palladino, .313
Free throw Percentage: Victoria Palladino, 1.000
Assists: Renee Wells, 48
Steals: Victoria Palladino, 42
Blocks: Patty Walsh, 24


SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
The Pioneers are having an impressive 2024-25 season with an overall record of 13-5 and are currently in a three-way tie for first place with Montclair and TCNJ for first in the NJAC with a 9-2 conference record. They have won seven of their last eight games, including defeating Stockton, 59-43 in their last game on Saturday.  In 2023-24, William Paterson went 11-14 overall with a 9-9 NJAC record and fell short of an NJAC Tournament berth. According to the 2024-25 NJAC Preseason Poll, the Pioneers were predicted to finish fifth.

SERIES HISTORY
Montclair and William Paterson are just past the century mark in competitions as they face off for the 101^st time in their storied rivalry. The all-time series belongs to Montclair with a 60-40 record against William Paterson, but the Pioneers have won four of the last five meetings
 
LAST MEETING
These two teams met earlier in the season on December 4, 2024, in Wayne, NJ. The Pioneers got the better of the Red Hawks with a 66-50 win at home.
 
UP NEXT
Montclair State University will remain home for a Saturday home contest against Rutgers-Camden on February 1. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 1:00 pm.