Montclair, NJ – Freshman guard Shalette Brown (Somerset, NJ, Franklin Township) scored 16 points and added three rebounds and six steals as No. 23 Montclair State breezed past Drew University, 77-39 at the Panzer Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon.
Junior guard Nicosia Henry (Bolingbrook, IL, Bolingbrook) added 12 points, nine rebounds and eight steals as the Red Hawks remained unbeaten, improving to 10-0 while matching the start of the 1990-91 squad which also opened the season with 10 consecutive victories.
Freshman Courtney Stephens (Pikesville, MD / Gerstell Academy) had 10 points and nine rebounds to lead Drew (2-7), which dropped its fourth straight game.
The Red Hawks led from start to finish scoring 14 of the game's first 16 points. Brown made a layup off the opening tap and, after two free throws by the Rangers' Becky Smith (Haverhill, MA / Presentation of Mary Academy), added the next 12 with Henry scoring four as Montclair led 14-2 with 16:24 remaining.
Drew would get as close at 27-15 with 4:39 to go as Jeramie Barletta (Madison, NJ / Madison) hit two free throws however, Montclair State scored the next eight points , including four from Janitza Aquino (Kearny, NJ, Kearny) for a 35-15 advantage.
MSU led 38-18 at the break as they turned 24 turnovers by Drew in the first 20 minutes into 26 points. Montclair State also shot 18-of-39 from the field.
Aquino finished with 13 points and five assists while senior forward Taylor Jeffers (Franklin Township, NJ, Franklin) added six points and seven rebounds. Montclair State collected 46 points off Drew's 39 miscues in the game and added 18 second-chance point as they also outrebounded the Rangers, 47-33, including 27 on the offensive glass.
Freshman center Erin Hollnad (Tolland, CT / East Catholic) had four points, nine rebounds and four blocks for Drew.
Both teams are back in action once more before the Christmas holiday. Montclair State is at Mt. St. Mary's in Newburgh, NY on Tuesday, December 18 at 8:00 pm. Drew hosts Manhattanville College on Thursday, December 20 at 2:00 pm.