(New Rochelle, NY) — After suffering a tough loss last week against CCRI in the Region 15 Tournament championship game, the Monroe Mustangs women’s basketball team, with their season on the line came up with a big win. Given a second opportunity to claim a spot in the national tournament (held in Peoria, Illinois) the Monroe women didn’t waist any time getting down to business Saturday afternoon. They defeated the Union County Community College Owls by a final score of 66-48 and in doing so qualified to defend their NJCAA Division II national championship crown in their ninth consecutive national tournament which is set to begin on March 20th. It also propelled them into the District final, which is set for Sunday at the Monroe Athletic Complex at 1:00pm. Box score Read about it in the Daily New Rochelle – including video
Early on, the Mustangs jumped all over Union establishing a relentless pace that the Owls could not fight off. Monroe went a 23-5 run in the first ten minutes of the game. The Mustangs had three players in double figures, led by 5-9 guard Jasmine McRoy who had a game high 21 points. McRoy also had three assists.
Sophomore Verdine Warner had perhaps her best game of the season. Warner picked up her fifth double-double, scoring a second-best 19 points while pulling down a game high 20 rebounds (matching her season high). Aivah Parham also picked up a double-double. Parham finished with 14 points and 13 boards.
“No doubt last week was a very tough loss for us,” said head coach Jim Robinson Jr. “But like the loss earlier this year to ASA, we were able to learn from it and use it to better ourselves. Today, we were able to play smarter and take advantage of this second opportunity we’ve been given and made the most out of it.”
The Mustangs only trailed once in the game on the Owls first field goal attempt which made the score 2-0. Monroe would then score the next 13 points and eventually take a 17 point lead into the half. McRoy and Warner were an unstoppable duo, together they combined for 21 of the Mustangs 33 points in the first half.
In the second half the Mustangs extended their lead even further. Monroe lead by as much as 24. The Owls offense could not get passed Monroe’s steller defense. The Mustangs limited Union to just 13% shooting from the field and outrebounded the Owls 60-45.
The 26-6 Mustangs will take on the Lackawanna Falcons on Sunday 3/11/2012 in the District N championship game. Tip-off is at 1:00pm. Lackawanna defeated CCRI 73-65 in game 1 of the District N Tournament. With their wins on Satuday, both Monroe and Lackawanna have qualified for the national tournament.