The Montclair State University women’s basketball team has not known defeat in the calendar year 2025. Now they look to close out the regular season with a win over The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), a squad loaded with high-end talent.
There is a lot at stake, so here is what fans need to know going into the big game.
1. Battle For The #1 Seed
The Red Hawks have been lockstep with the TCNJ for much of the latter half of the season. Both sides come into tonight’s game with a 15-12 conference record. Over the last four weeks, neither team has budged in the standings as they both enjoyed extended winning streaks.
The scenario for clinching the number one seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament is simple: the winner of the game claims the NJAC regular season title, the first seed in the tournament, and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Red Hawks have not won the regular season championship since 2016.
The Red Hawks have not won the regular season championship since 2016. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
2. The Last Meeting Brought the Drama
If this game is anything like the last time both of these teams clashed, fans should expect a nail-biter. In January, The Red Hawks handed the Lions their first conference loss of the season.
TCNJ were up by nine points coming out of the locker room at halftime but Montclair State rallied in the third quarter.
With two minutes left, the game was tied. When the Lions scored the go ahead points with mere seconds left, freshman forward Alyssa Craigwell put the game in her own hands, using her speed to drive to the basket and score to give Montclair State the lead.
With the shot clock turned off, Lion’s sophomore guard Grace Kowalski put up one last shot at the buzzer, however it was graduate guard Sophie Beneventine who had the last say, as she rejected the shot in dramatic fashion.
Both teams played their hearts out in the last meeting, so with home-court advantage on the line, anticipate that both the Lions and Red Hawks will leave it all on the court on game day.
The Montclair State University women’s basketball team has not known defeat in the calendar year 2025. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
3. 200 NJAC Wins for Coach Harvey
A win for Montclair State would also mark a major milestone for veteran head coach Karin Harvey. If her team comes out on top, she will claim her 200th conference win.
If the team wins, it would head coach's Karin Harvey 200th conference win. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
It would be yet another accolade in Harvey’s storied career at the helm of the Red Hawks. She is already the program’s winningest head coach, posting a 338-118 overall record. In 18 years, the six time NJAC Coach of the Year collected six conference championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Final Four in 2015.
