SCRANTON, Pa., January 24, 2019 – In a game that came down to the final seconds, the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team dropped a 78-76 decision at Lackawanna College Thursday evening. The Mustangs fall to 15-6 on the year with the loss, while the Falcons improve to 14-3.
 
The Mustangs had a number of impressive individual efforts in Thursday's defeat. Phyness Baldwin filled up the stat sheet with 24 points, eight rebounds, eight steals and seven assists. Devon Adams registered a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds, adding an impressive seven blocks. Shanice Graves also picked up a double-double, scoring 19 points with 11 boards. Aneisha Lyons contributed 12 points, six rebounds and four steals.
 
The Falcons got off to a quick 3-0 lead, but the Mustangs responded with 13 straight points to go up by 10. The home team chipped away at the deficit to get within one at 15-14 with 1:27 left in the quarter, but the Mustangs closed out the period with five straight points to take a 20-14 edge into the second.
 
The Mustangs outscored the Falcons, 9-4, over the first 3:15 of the second to take a 29-18 lead. Monroe slowly built upon its lead, going up by 15 with just 1:11 left on the clock. The Falcons closed out the half with the final five points, but Monroe took a 39-29 advantage into the break.
 
The Mustangs pushed their lead back up to 13 points midway through the third quarter. The Falcons started to slowly turn the tables, getting back within six after a last-second three by Kyla Smith, leaving the Mustangs ahead, 57-51, going into the fourth.
 
A pair of free throws for Lackawanna quickly made it a four-point game early in the final frame. After the Falcons got back within three, Baldwin drained a three-pointer to go back up by six. Adams then sank a jumper to put Monroe up by eight with 8:05 on the clock. Later in the frame, a pair of free throws by Baldwin gave the Mustangs a 74-63 lead with just 4:43 left to play.
 
The Falcons were able to find momentum on both sides of the court, scoring the next 11 points to tie the game at 74-74 with 1:21 left in the fourth. Baldwin got back to the line and made both of her chances to put Monroe back up by two, but Colleen Cwalina made a layup and drew a foul for the Falcons, completing the three-point play to go up, 77-76. The Mustangs were unable to score the next time down the court and were forced to foul with three seconds left. Chyna Wooten made the first shot, and was able to grab her own rebound after missing the second, clinching the game for the Falcons.
 
The Mustangs will return home on Saturday, Feb. 2, when they play host to Community College of Rhode Island at the Monroe Athletic Complex. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
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).