Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State women's basketball team used a late push in the second quarter as the Red Hawks extended their winning streak to nine games with 60-51 victory over William Paterson at the Panzer Athletic Center on Wednesday evening.
Freshman guard Nickie Carter scored 18 points and led four players in double figures as Montclair (13-4, 8-2 NJAC) swept the season series from the Pioneers (8-9, 6-4 NJAC) improving to 56-35 in the all-time series between the local rivals.
Sophomore guard Danica Defrank and freshman Madisn Dulude finished with 14 and 13 points respectively for WPU, which has alternated wins and loss in each of its last six games.
William Paterson led 17-13 after one quarter and go in front 21-16 on a Dulude jumper with 7:22 to play in the period. MSU closed out the quarter with a 17-2 run including the final 10 point. Taylor Brown scored five consecutive Montclair points the last two igniting the 12-point run to air the half. After MacLelland knotted the game at 23-23, Brown drained a three with 2:55 to go giving the Red Hawks the lead.
Saniya Myers followed with a put back making the score 28-23 with McKinnon hitting from short range as the lead grew to seven points with 1:36 left. MacLelland added another field goal and connected once from the foul line with 13 seconds sending Montclair into the break with 33-23 advantage. MSU was 7-of-11 from the field during its game-changing spurt while holding the Pioneers to just 2-of-10.
WPU cut that deficit in half 38-33 as Defrank scored with 4:15 to play in the third. Carter answered with a three and, after a MacLelland bucket, made two foul shots pushing the lead back to 45-33 with 2:33 remaining.
Montclair carried a 47-36 lead into the fourth quarter but William Paterson reeled off six straight pulling within 47-43 on Allison McBride's layup. McKinnon countered with a much-needed three-point play, however baskets by McBride and Alisa Giordano closed the gap to 50-47 with 4:25 to go. A 6-0 run over the next three minutes would widen the lead for MSU. Brown, MacLelland and Carter each contributed as Montclair Stated led 56-47 with 1:17 remaining.
Brown collected a double-double pulling down 10 rebounds. MacLelland added one of her own recording a team-best 13 along with five assists McKinnon chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds for the Red Hawks.
MSU returns to action on Saturday, January 25 with a road contest. Montclair heads to Union, NJ to face Kean University at 3:00 pm in the Harwood Arena. The Red Hawks fell to the Cougars 71-62 at home back on December 7.