Montclair, NJ- The Montclair State women's basketball team kicks off 2026 with a road matchup at New Jersey City on Wednesday evening.
 
GAME INFO
Tip-off from the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center is slated for 5:30 p.m. Live coverage of the game can be found at monclairstateathletics.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Montclair notched a 76-62 win over Neumann in the final day of the Mike Scala Memorial Tournament. The Red Hawks (8-4) opened with nine of the game's first 11 points, a run capped off by a driving layup from ALYSSA CRAIGWELL at the 6:59 mark. Neumann countered on the ensuing possession coming out of a timeout, but the Red Hawks answered immediately with a three-point shot from SAMANTHA PHILIPP. Consecutive baskets from the Knights cut the game to a four-point margin shortly after, as the home side rattled off nine-straight points to respond with three and a half minutes remaining. Montclair led by as many as 13 down the stretch of the period and would hold a 26-14 advantage after 10 minutes of play. Neumann chipped into the deficit in the beginning stages of the second stanza with a 9-3 scoring run that was halted by a long distance shot from BELLA BRUCE. The two sides traded baskets before the Red Hawks reopened a double-digit advantage on consecutive layups from Philipp and SHANNON HUGHES at the 3:13 mark of the half. On the following trip up the floor, KATIE DICHTER knocked down two free throws to increase the lead to a half-high 15 points. The Knights closed the period with six of the final nine points to make the score at the break 43-31. The Knights notched the opening three points of the second half but were immediately met with seven-straight points from Montclair, including a driving layup from Philipp, to push the margin to 16 with 7:19 on the clock. Following a pair of jumpers from Neumann, Philipp tallied back-to-back buckets along with a layup from ISABELLA ORLANDO to put the hosts in front by 18 as the period approached its halfway point. Hughes connected on a shot shortly after to increase the margin to 20, as the two sides would trade baskets over the remaining stretch, with Montclair holding a 65-46 edge. KRISTINA TURNER recorded the first bucket of the fourth quarter at the eight-minute mark to put the Red Hawks in front by a game-high 21. Neumann responded with nine consecutive points over the next three and a half minutes to trim the deficit to 12 at 67-55. Bruce and Turner ended the scoring run with layups on consecutive possessions, with the latter coming at the 3:19 mark of the game. The two sides collected five points each over the next two and a half minutes, with CELINA BUSSANICH connecting on a shot from beyond the arc to make the final margin 14.
 
 
TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (8-4, 4-1 NJAC)
Points Per Game: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, 17.3
Rebounds Per Game: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, 7.3
Field goal percentage: KRISTINA TURNER, .500
Three Point Percentage: SAMANTHA PHILIPP, .444
Free throw Percentage: KATIE DICHTER, .900
Assists: ALEXIS STROLLO, 30
Steals: ALYSSA CRAIGWELL, 26
Blocks: BELLA BRUCE, 13
 
NEW JERSEY CITY (5-6, 3-2 NJAC)
Points Per Game: Meghan Gentile, 20.7
Rebounds Per Game: Autumn John, 10.7
Field goal percentage: Kaylah Neal, .435
Three Point Percentage: Meghan Gentile, .375
Free throw Percentage: Meghan Gentile, .821
Assists: Bailey Cassell, 26
Steals: Dasani Talley Dorman, 21
Blocks: Autumn John, 11
 
 
SCOUTING NEW JERSEY CITY
The Gothic Knights enter the matchup posting a 5-6 overall record and a 3-2 record in the NJAC this season. They were victors in their last outing this past Saturday against Albertus Magnus by a score of 79-52. Last season, NJCU posted an overall record of 10-16, but a 9-9 NJAC record qualified them for the conference tournament as the sixth seed. However, they suffered a 55-54 defeat in the quarterfinals at the hands of William Paterson. In 2025-26, they are projected to place seventh in the NJAC according to the preseason poll, but did receive a first-place vote.
 
 
SERIES HISTORY
Montclair and New Jersey City will square off for the 81^st time in their long-standing NJAC rivalry. The Red Hawks own the all-time record at 70-10 and swept last season's series.  
 
 
LAST MEETING
The last meeting between Montclair and New Jersey City was a historic showdown on February 12, 2025. Both teams went into their first triple-overtime matchups in program history, but it was Montclair who came away triumphant by a score of 88-79.
 
UP NEXT
 
Montclair State University returns home on Saturday, January 10, for a 3:00 p.m. matchup against Stockton.