SBU Sports: Women’s basketball bows to Monmouth in first CAA loss

The Stony Brook women’s basketball team fell to Monmouth, 75-61, on Jan. 5 at the OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch, N.J. Despite Janay Brantley’s first career double-double and Breauna Ware dropping 19 points, the Seawolves were defeated by the Hawks for their first CAA loss of the season.  

The Seawolves had three players score in double figures, led by Brantley and Ware who each scored 19 points. Brantley added a team-high 10 rebounds as Shamarla King chipped in with 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Stony Brook struggled out of the gate, scoring only 12 points with King accounting for seven herself. Monmouth pieced together a team-effort first quarter with six players scoring through the opening frame to take a 23-12 lead. 

Stony Brook then started off the second quarter by going on a 7-0 run, highlighted by buckets from Brantley and Ware, to narrow its deficit to 23-19. The Hawks responded and expanded their lead, leaving the Seawolves trailing 38-25 heading into halftime.

After intermission, Stony Brook cut its deficit to 40-28 before going on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a basket from King, to trim its deficit to 40-34 with 6:21 to go in the third. Monmouth countered and stretched its lead once again heading into the fourth with a score of 58-42. Stony Brook played well near the basket, scoring 14 of its 17 points in the paint.

The Seawolves continued to shrink their deficit at 65-55 with 4:44 to go in the contest. The Hawks responded and outscored the Seawolves the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 75-61. Stony Brook took advantage of five Monmouth turnovers in the quarter, but it wasn’t enough to help the Seawolves emerge victorious.

Up next, the team welcomes William & Mary to Long Island for the conference home opener on Jan. 10. The Seawolves and Tribe tip-off at 7 p.m. from Stony Brook Arena, with the contest airing live on SNY and streaming on FloCollege.