NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., February 15, 2024 – After 11 days without a game, the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team led from start to finish in their return to action at the Monroe Athletic Complex on Thursday, defeating Lackawanna College, 63-54. The Mustangs improve to 16-7 overall with the win, while the Falcons drop to 10-12.
After a slow start that saw Monroe hold a narrow 6-4 lead with three minutes left in the first quarter, the Mustangs got hot through the buzzer. Monroe rattled off 11 straight points over those final three minutes without allowing a bucket for the Falcons, carrying a 17-4 advantage into the second.
The lead reached 17 early in the second frame before the Falcons went on a 10-0 run. The lead was still down to seven until the Mustangs locked down once again, scoring the final nine points of the half to claim a 36-20 advantage heading into the half.
Monroe's lead hit 22 points after a pair of free throws by
Carlota Gomez-Alonso made it a 52-30 game with 2:35 left in the third. The Mustangs led by more than 20 until Desiree White hit a three at the buzzer for Lackawanna to make it a 56-38 game in favor of the Mustangs going to the fourth.
The Mustangs got layups from Gomez-Alonso and
Emma Wilson-Saltos to open the final frame, but the Falcons took over for the next six minutes, scoring 10 points before the Mustangs finally ended the drought on a basket by Gomez-Alonso with just 1:05 remaining, keeping the Mustangs up by 14. A Jayla South three cut the deficit down to 11 points for the Falcons, and then
Shanelle Smith was fouled and made 1-of-2 chances to put Monroe back up by 12. South hit another long ball with five seconds left, but the Falcons ran out of time, seeing the Mustangs secure a 63-54 victory.
Gomez-Alonso registered a double-double with a team-high 24 points to go with 12 rebounds and six steals. Wilson-Saltos also completed a double-double with 14 points and a team-high 14 boards in the win.
Nicole Bencosme just missed one of her own, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds while leading the team with five assists.
The Mustangs take to the road this Saturday, Feb. 17, to visit NJCAA Div. II No. 12 Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Saturday's tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
