The Montclair State University women’s basketball team fell to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in a pivotal matchup for the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) regular season title.
The Lions won the game 72-63.
The Lions secured home-court advantage for the postseason. The Red Hawks entered the game on a 13-game winning streak and were aiming for their first top seed since the 2019-2020 season.
Freshman forward Alyssa Craigwell made an early impact, scoring Montclair State’s first points. Although the Red Hawks briefly led 9-8, TCNJ responded with an 8-0 run to take a 16-9 lead.
Graduate guard Sophie Beneventine stopped the run with a quick layup, but TCNJ’s strong three-point shooting gave them a 21-13 lead at the end of the first quarter—Montclair State’s largest deficit in the first quarter all season.
Junior forward Shannon Hughes hit Montclair State’s first three-pointer to start the second quarter, but the Lions extended their lead to 26-16 following a 5-0 run. The Red Hawks struggled with turnovers and three-point shooting, finishing the half just 1-for-7 from deep.
Despite Craigwell’s 11 first-half points, the Lions shot 6-for-9 from three and led 47-29 at halftime.
Montclair State showed resilience in the third quarter. Craigwell led a 9-0 run, cutting the deficit to 12 points. A steal by junior guard Alexis Strollo set up senior center Olivia Vero for a layup, bringing the Red Hawks within ten.
Beneventine added a fast-break layup off another steal, trimming the deficit to 10 points heading into the final quarter.
Craigwell continued her dominant performance in the fourth quarter, scoring quickly to reach 22 points and cutting the lead to seven. She followed a huge defensive block with another layup, tying her career-high of 26 points and bringing Montclair within five. Vero added an and-one to reduce the gap to five again, and Craigwell’s clutch free throws made it a two-possession game at 65-61.
However, TCNJ responded with a crucial layup in the final minute, extending their lead to 67-61. Despite Montclair State’s late push, the Lions secured a 72-63 victory.
Craigwell finished with a career-high 30 points, five rebounds, and four steals. Vero contributed 17 points and a team-high six rebounds, the only other Red Hawk in double figures. Beneventine contributed with six points and a team-high of eight assists.
Although Montclair State fell short of the NJAC title, they secured the number two seed and a first-round bye for the postseason.
The Red Hawks remain strong contenders in the upcoming tournament and will take on William Paterson University in the semifinal round.
