Monmouth defeats Niagara in First Round Game
MAAC Sports
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – Christina Mitchell recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds as No. 9 Monmouth held off No. 8 Niagara 66-62 Thursday morning in the first round of the 2014 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship.
Chevannah Paalvast scored 12 points and Helena Kurt contributed 11 for the Hawks in the win.
With a two point lead and the possession, Mitchell grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a put back lay-up off of a Paalvast missed a jumper with 34.7 seconds remaining to make the score 64-60. After Niagara’s Chanel Johnson made two free throws to make it a two point contest, Monmouth’s Mia Hopkins sealed the game with two free throws of her own with 18 seconds left in the contest.
Johnson scored a team high 14 points, while Meghan McGuiness added 13 points for the Purple Eagles.
Monmouth will face top seeded Iona College in the quarterfinals on Friday at 12:00 p.m.