Union, NJ – Senior guard Taylor Brown posted career-highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds as Montclair State picked up its fourth straight victory, knocking off Kean University 73-62 at Harwood Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Nickie Carter added 18 points and three assists for the Red Hawks (4-1, 4-0 NJAC), who swept the weekend set from the Cougars (0-4, 0-4 NJAC). Montclair, which has won three straight versus Kean and eight of the last 11, posted a 67-43 win at home on Friday.
A quick four-point lead to start the game turned into a five-point deficit as Kean took a 9-4 lead following a free throw by Brittany Graff. After Kelly Smith hit once at the line for MSU, the Cougars' Sarah Olivero bracketed five points around a Shannon McCoy three-pointer putting Kean in front 17-8. Two foul shots from Carter and a field goal by Trisha Peterson to end the period pulled Montclair within 17-12 heading into the second.
Kean held on to its advantage and led by eight points several times, including 32-24 with four minutes left after Casey Filiault hit from close range. The Red Hawks responded with a 10-0 run, eight by Brown, including a three-pointer that sent MSU into the lead 34-32. Sarah Olivero knotted the game back up with a jumper and a layup from Shahd Badeer late in the quarter gave Kean a 36-34 lead at the break.
McCoy began the third quarter with a three-pointer and Kean led 42-36 with a minute gone by before MSU scored 11 of the next 13 points to take the lead. Carter had five in the spurt with Kendall Hodges added three, including a layup for a 47-45 Montclair lead with 3:51 to go. The Cougars tied it back up however, Brown tallied the final five points of the period as Montclair State led 52-47.
Carter's three-pointer to start the fourth extended the lead to eight points. Kean closed the gap to 55-53 on a Graff layup with six minutes left. Hodges made two at the line two minutes later before Brown's three-pointer with 3:36 remaining made the score 60-53. Brown and McCoy would trade three-pointer leaving Kean with a 63-58 deficit, the closest it would get the rest of the way.
Hodges scored on a layup with 2:10 to go and put in a layup 30 seconds later. Brown delivered the final blow, draining a three-pointer as Montclair led 70-59 with 43 seconds to play.
Brown finished 8-of-15 from the floor, including seven three-pointers – one behind the single-game record. She also blocked three shots. Hodges had a solid all-around game with 15 points, two rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Smith chipped in with six points and seven rebounds.
The Red Hawks are back in action next weekend. Montclair heads to the Golden Dome at Rutgers-Newark on Friday, February 19 for a 7:00 pm tip off against the Scarlet Raiders. The two teams meet again on Saturday, February 20 at the Panzer Athletic Center.