Montclair, NJ – Senior guard Julia Sutton scored 20 points with junior guard Nickie Carter adding 18 as Montclair State knocked off Ramapo, 55-45 at the Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams squared off for the second time this season, albeit in a non-conference contest. The game was scheduled on Friday after both the Red Hawks and Roadrunners had their regularly-scheduled NJAC games on Saturday canceled due to health and safety protocols, with each receiving forfeit victories.
It was the second time both teams had to take forfeit wins this week as their Wednesday games were also canceled. Neither team had been in action since December 29-30.
Freshman guard Jada Thompson posted a double-double of 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Roadrunners, who fell to 6-5 on the year.
MSU, which avenged an earlier 73-66 loss to Ramapo back on December 1, led from start to finish and scored 14 of the first 16 points, with Sutton and Carter combining on all 14. Carter opened the game with a three-point play, and Sutton followed with a three-pointer for a 6-0 advantage. After the Roadrunners got on the board, Sutton drained back-to-back threes, with Carter adding a jumper for a 14-2 lead with 3:43 to play. Sutton and Carter would each score once more as the Red Hawks led 20-8 after the first quarter.
Kendall Hodges would get the lead up to 27-14 in the second before Megan Duffy drilled a three-pointer with 10 seconds left, sending Montclair State into the break with a 32-16 lead.
A Carter jumper to open the second half gave MSU its largest advantage of the game at 34-16. However, Ramapo would chip away at the deficit. Thompson's three-point play got the deficit inside double digits, and a jumper by Bridget Cahill closed the gap to 36-29 with 4:47 remaining.
Trisha Peterson boosted the lead back to 40-30 with 2:52 to go; however, four straight points by Thompson pulled the Roadrunners within 40-34 with just over a minute left. Carter hit one at the line, but Jackie Ventricelli connected at the buzzer, making the score 41-36 heading into the fourth.
Peterson gave Montclair some breathing room with a three-pointer to begin the new quarter. Thompson got it back to 44-39 with 6:26 to play, but the Red Hawks were able to pull away with a 9-2 run over the next five minutes. Carter capped with two foul shots for a 53-41 lead with 1:54 remaining.
Hodges finished with six points, six rebounds, and five assists for Red Hawk. Duffy also had six caroms and five points, with Kelly Smith pulling down six boards.
The Red Hawks are back in action on Wednesday, January 12, hosting Rowan University at 6:00 pm.