The Montclair State University women’s basketball team defeated the Kean University Cougars 67-46 last Friday. The dominant performance was led by junior guards Julia Sutton and Trisha Peterson, who combined for 26 points. However, head coach Karin Harvey also shared some of that spotlight and added to her many accomplishments as she captured her 300th career win as a collegiate head coach.
“When you think about your 300th win, you think about all those players that played before this team that have helped me as a coach and make this program what it is,” Harvey said. “It’s an honor. It really is.”
Harvey is in her 14th season as head coach for the women’s basketball team, totaling up 288 wins as a Red Hawk. She also coached a year at Drew University, which is to this date the best season in their team’s history.
The Montclair State women’s basketball team huddles up before the start of the game.
Photo courtesy of Julia Radley
Montclair State came into this game on a roll after winning both games the weekend prior. Kean, on the other hand, started the season off 0-2.
After an even battle out of the gates, Peterson drained a three-pointer with just a few seconds remaining in the first quarter, which proved enough to give the Red Hawks a 13-10 going into the second quarter. Once the second quarter got going, it was all Montclair State from there.
Senior guard Taylor Brown played another great game, grabbing eight rebounds and getting nine points. Continuing her senior campaign, she has lead this Red Hawks team to an undefeated start in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).
As the second quarter went on, it was a full team effort as Sutton, freshman guard Kendall Hodges and sophomore forward Saniya Myers helped Montclair State go on an 11-0 run. They never looked back.
Red Hawks sophomore forward Trinity Stackhouse attempts a layup.
Photo courtesy of Julia Radley
“We worked really hard in practice with our defense,” Sutton said. “I think we pride ourselves on defense, especially in this game.”
This is one aspect the Red Hawks had done better in all season, as they forced a season-high 27 turnovers.
Facing their toughest test yet with junior guard and top player for Kean, Shannon McCoy, the Red Hawks watched as she raked up 16 points.
Still, it was all Kean could do as freshman guard Brittany Graff and senior guard Olivia Nilsen were held in the single digits. Montclair State did a great job of not letting the Cougars get to the line as they only had 14 attempts from the stripe, shooting only 50 percent.
Red Hawks junior forward Annie Walsh closely defends a Kean player near the paint.
Photo courtesy of Julia Radley
After Montclair State won the third quarter by a score of 24-9, it was out of reach for the Cougars.
Harvey was impressed by the team’s defensive performance throughout the game.
“I thought we played really well today,” Harvey said. “We limited their three-point shot and switched a lot on defense. This was our best defensive game that was played so far and we’ve been working hard on that in practice. That and the rebounding were the difference.”
Senior forward Kayla Bush, junior guard Kelly Smith and Brown were the big factors in helping the Red Hawks gather 41 rebounds; 13 more than their opponent.
Senior forward Kayla Bush attempts a layup while being swarmed by Kean University defenders.
Photo courtesy of Julia Radley
Overall, the Red Hawks’ hard work paid off. Eleven members of the team got a basket, including freshman guard Kayla Worsley-Wooten, who knocked down a three with only four minutes left in the game. By the sound of the Montclair State bench after that shot, they seemed to believe the game was all but over.
Montclair State wrapped up the weekend with another win, putting them 4-1 on the season as they stay undefeated in the conference. Next weekend they look to take on Rutgers-Newark, who are coming off a 0-2 skid to William Patterson.
