Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State Women's Basketball team (21-4, 15-3 NJAC) saw their 13-game win streak and 15-game conference win streak come to an end in their regular-season finale, falling to The College of New Jersey (20-5, 16-2 NJAC) by a score of 72-63 on Wednesday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first five minutes of the opening quarter were tightly contested, with both teams exchanging points. Montclair held a narrow 9-8 lead, thanks to six points from ALYSSA CRAIGWELL and three from OLIVIA VERO. However, at the 4:44 mark, a three-pointer from TCNJ sparked an 11-2 run, giving the Lions a 19-11 advantage with 1:47 left in the quarter. Both teams added a field goal late, and TCNJ entered the second quarter with a 21-13 lead.
• SHANNON HUGHES opened the scoring in the second quarter with a three-pointer, but the Lions responded with five unanswered points, securing the game's first double-digit lead at 26-16. Montclair trimmed the deficit to eight (31-23), but TCNJ countered with a 9-2 run starting at the 4:26 mark, extending their lead to 40-26 with 2:16 left in the half. The teams continued to trade baskets, but TCNJ's Nina Branchizio closed the quarter with two three-pointers, including a buzzer-beater, sending the Lions into halftime with a commanding 47-29 lead.
• TCNJ extended their advantage to over 20 points early in the second half, but Montclair refused to back down. At the 7:37 mark, Craigwell sank two free throws, igniting an 11-0 run as part of a larger 15-2 surge that trimmed the deficit to 52-42. TCNJ managed two late layups, while Montclair added a free throw from Vero and a steal-and-score by SOPHIE BENEVENTINE in the final seconds, closing the third quarter at 56-45.
• Craigwell came out strong in the fourth quarter, scoring six consecutive points to bring Montclair within five (56-51) with just under seven minutes remaining. Despite several offensive pushes by the Red Hawks, TCNJ consistently responded, preventing them from completing the comeback. Montclair closed the gap to four points twice, but the Lions answered each time. Down the stretch, Montclair was forced to foul, and TCNJ capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 7-of-10 attempts to seal the 72-63 victory and claim the NJAC Regular Season crown.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Despite the loss, Craigwell delivered a career-best performance, scoring 30 points while adding five rebounds and a team-high four steals. She became the first Red Hawk to record a 30-point game since Nickie Carter (31) in 2023.
• Vero was the only other Montclair player in double figures, tallying 17 points and a team-high six rebounds.
• The Red Hawks concluded the regular season with an impressive 21-4 overall record and a 15-3 mark in NJAC play. This season marks their best finish since the 2017-18 campaign, when they went 21-3 and 16-2 in NJAC competition, ultimately winning the conference and reaching the NCAA Division III Sectional Round.

FROM THE COURT

• "TCNJ is a phenomenal team, and they can really score the basketball. They had us on our heels the entire first half, but I am proud of our team's effort in the second half. It was a great comeback that fell just short. We will take the time to regroup and get ready for the NJAC Tournament," Head Coach Karin Harvey.

NEXT UP

• Montclair State University enters the NJAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed and will face the winner of sixth-seeded New Jersey City and third-seeded William Paterson on Wednesday, February 27, at 7:00 p.m.