Montclair, NJ – Sophomore Alex McKinnon scored a 20 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer inside three minutes as No. 17/20 Montclair State battled past William Paterson, 58-52 at the Panzer Athletic Center on Wednesday evening.
Senior Katie Sire posted 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Red Hawks, who improved to 19-1 on the season with their 17th consecutive victory. Montclair also remained unbeaten in the NJAC and clinched a first-round bye in the conference tournament which begins in later February.
MSU is 14-0 in league play with four games to play and currently three games in front of The College of New Jersey (11-3). Stockton and Rutgers-Camden are tied for third at 9-5.
Julie Rovito scored a game-high 21 points for William Paterson (11-10, 8-6), which is sitting in the No. 6 spot in the conference standings.
The Red Hawks were without senior guard Katie Tobie, the NJAC Player of the Week and league's current assist leader (7.1 apg). Montclair fell into an early 8-2 deficit but scored 11 of the final 15 points to take the lead. Taylor Harmon, who finished with 14 points, scored off an inbounds pass giving MSU a 13-12 lead heading into the second.
William Paterson took back the lead late in the second quarter as Vianca Soriano put in a layup with 50 seconds left for a 21-19 lead however Sire beat the halftime buzzer as the local rivals went into halftime knotted at 21-21.
McKinnon, which topped 20 points for the second time this season, would come through in the third, igniting a seven-point run for Montclair State turning a 30-27 deficit into a 34-30 advantage with 3:01 to play in the period. After WPU cur the lead to a point, Domonique Wirsing hit twice at the line and Harmon's layup with 42 seconds gave the Red Hawks a 38-33 lead heading into the fourth.
The Pioneers tied the game at 40-40 early in the fourth however Montclair State went back up 50-44 as McKinnon hit twice from the line with 4:51 left. William Paterson countered with the next six points to forge the ninth tie of the game at 50-50 on CeCe Green's layup.
McKinnon answered with a three-pointer at the other lead putting the Red Hawks back in front for good at 53-50. After a series of missed shots and turnovers, Harmon made one free throw with 46 seconds left. Freshman guard Kim Calloway came up with a huge steal which turned into two free throws by Sire making the score 56-50 with 35 seconds. Harmon added two more at the line with 14 seconds to go extending the lead to 58-50. Brianna Brooks scored in the final seconds for the final margin.
Harmon grabbed seven rebounds for Montclair. Freshman Taylor Brown chipped in with four points, nine rebounds and four assists.
The Red Hawks are back in action on Saturday, February 3 traveling to Stockton University for a 12pm matchup with the Ospreys.