TALLAHASSEE, Fla., December 29, 2017 – In its final game at the Tallahassee Democrat Holiday Classic, hosted by Tallahassee Community College, the Monroe College women's basketball team fell to No. 5-ranked Northwest Florida State College by a score of 68-46 on Friday. Monroe drops to 8-7 on the season with the defeat, while Northwest Florida State improves to 14-0.
 
The Raiders got off to a quick start, taking a 7-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game and eventually going up, 12-4, with 4:03 left in the first. Monroe turned things around with an 8-5 run to close out the period, and trailed 17-12 heading into the second quarter.
 
Northwest Florida State went on an 11-0 run to open the next frame to take a 16-point lead. The Mustangs regrouped and scored the next 10 points to get back within six. The Raiders then tallied the final two points of the half to take a 30-22 edge into the break.
 
Phyness Baldwin netted five of the first eight points of the third quarter, getting the Mustangs within six. The Raiders then outscored the Mustangs, 16-7, throughout the rest of the third, taking a 49-34 lead into the final stanza.
 
The Mustangs played neck-and-neck throughout much of the fourth quarter, preventing the Raiders from running away with it early in the period. A 6-2 run for the Raiders over the final five minutes led to their 22-point win.
 
Baldwin led the Mustangs with 11 points on Friday, and was joined by Amani Williams and Lisana Burnett with three steals apiece. Williams and Burnett each scored nine points in the game, while also dishing out two assists apiece. Williams led the Mustangs with eight rebounds.
 
The Mustangs get a couple weeks off before returning to action at the Monroe Athletic Complex on Thursday, Jan. 11. Monroe will host Lackawanna College for a 6 p.m. tip-off in New Rochelle.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level as of the fall 2017 season.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).