BOX SCORE (PDF)

West Long Branch, N.J. –  Junior guard Derin Erdogan scored 13 of her game-high 18 points in the second half, but host Monmouth used a 7-0 run in the final 42 seconds to rally past Northeastern, 54-49, in both team's CAA opener on Friday afternoon.

Junior forward Deja Bristol nearly had a double-double, tallying 10 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore guard Gemima Motema added 12 points and five rebounds of her own.

Northeastern (5-7, 0-1 CAA) forced Monmouth (6-6, 1-0 CAA) into 28 turnovers, scoring 21 points off them.

• Monmouth got off to a quick start with a three-pointer just 13 seconds into the contest.
• Motema trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with a layup at the 8:14 mark, and Erdogan then followed up with a three-pointer to put Northeastern up 5-3.
• The teams traded points the rest of the way, as a jumper by Motema knotted up the contest at eight with four minutes left in the frame.
• Monmouth went on 4-0 run to close the quarter, and shot 55.6% (5-of-9), and 50% from three (2-of-4) to lead 12-9 after one.
• Bristol got the Huskies off to a quick start in the second with a basket, but the Hawks responded right back with an 8-0 run to take the lead right back at 20-11.
• The Huskies went over three minutes without a basket, until Bristol scored with six minutes to go to trim the deficit.
• Monmouth continued its strong shooting performance the rest of the way, increasing the lead to 11 after a three with three minutes to go.
• Bristol tallied five points in the quarter to lead the Huskies, but the Hawks shot 50% (7-of-14) in the stanza, and led 29-21 at halftime.
• Neither team scored through the first few minutes, until Erdogan notched a layup at the 7:47 mark to cut the Monmouth lead to 29-23.
• The Hawks though, responded right back with five straight points to balloon their lead back up by a game-high 11 at 34-23.
• The Huskies went on a 6-0 run late in the quarter, propelled by four points from Erdogan, but Monmouth extended the lead back to double-digits (39-29) with a three in the last two minutes, 
• Northeastern would again respond and scored the final five points of the frame to trim the deficit to 39-34 heading into the fourth. 
• The Huskies offense started to get going in the final quarter, and combined with a full court press that forced 10 Hawks turnovers in the quarter, they pulled ahead to 42-41 at the 6:06 mark after a layup by Erdogan.
• Freshman forward Oralye Kiefer would get a steal and feed Erdogan for a fast-break layup to push the lead to 44-41 just 45 seconds later.
• The hosts would hit a jumper after an offensive rebound to cut the lead to one, but Erdogan drained a three moments later to give Northeastern a game-high four point lead, 47-43 with 4:49 left.
• Monmouth would clamp down on defense and would score the next four points, tying the game at 47 on a three off an offensive rebound with 2:28 left.
• The Huskies would get their own second-chance basket when Kiefer would grab an offensive board and dish to Motema for a layup to retake the lead with 1:53 left.
• The teams traded multiple empty possessions, but a steal and fastbreak layup by Monmouth with 42 seconds left tied the game.
• The Hawks were fouled on the tying layup and missed the free throw, but got the offensive rebound and hit a tie-breaking three with 27 seconds left.
• After a Northeastern missed three, Monmouth missed a pair of free throws, but were able to get the ball back after a mad scramble for the ball with five seconds left, and hit a pair of free throws to seal the game.

The Huskies have a quick turnaround as they return home to host William & Mary on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on NESN and FloHoops.

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