Casper, WY – The #24-seed Monroe University women's basketball team's season came to a close on Wednesday with an 88-69 loss to #9-seed South Plains College in the first-round of the 2025 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.
Freshman
Carlota Lopez led the Mustangs with 20 points, while fellow freshman
Sydney Huskey chipped in 14. Sophomore
Qaizden Stephano provided ten points off the bench in her final game with the Mustangs.
The Mustangs were in it early as the two sides traded baskets. A layup from Lopez made it a two-point game before the Texans rattled off seven straight to end the first quarter.
But the lower seed found some life in the second as they opened the quarter with an 8-0 run fueled by two key buckets from Stephano. Lopez tallied ten points in the quarter, including a buzzer-beating three just past half court to conclude the first half down, 38-32.
The wheels fell off in the third quarter, however, as South Plains outscored the Mustangs, 30-18. The Texans shot 69.2% from the field in the period compared to 20% for the Mustangs. Free throws were key, keeping Monroe within striking distance. But the deficit was too large to overcome.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as the Monroe University 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.MonroeUMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (
Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
