WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Stony Brook held off Monmouth 51-45 in a defensive struggle in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday at CareFirst Arena. The Seawolves, who swept the regular-season series, used a balanced attack to secure the victory in the teams’ third meeting this season. Monmouth’s Hawks started strong, leading 16-11 after the first quarter, but managed only seven points in both the second and fourth quarters. Stony Brook steadily built its lead, tying the game by halftime and pulling ahead in the second half. GiGi Gamble led Monmouth with 15 points. Divine Dibula added 13 points and five blocks. Janay Brantley paced Stony Brook with 14 points. The Seawolves improved to 18-14 overall, while the Hawks fell to 21-11. Attendance was 1,300.

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by critical plays in the final minute, the Stony Brook Seawolves edged the Monmouth Hawks 51-45 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday at CareFirst Arena. The contest, a neutral-site meeting in the nation’s capital, saw Stony Brook overcome a slow start and a standout shot-blocking performance from Monmouth’s Divine Dibula to secure the victory in front of 1,300 spectators. The win improved Stony Brook’s overall record to 18-14, while Monmouth fell to 21-11. Monmouth established an early advantage, closing the first quarter with a 16-11 lead. The Hawks’ defense, anchored by the 6-foot-1 Dibula of Ottawa, Canada, was formidable from the outset. Dibula recorded three of her game-high five blocks in the opening period, disrupting the Seawolves’ offense at the rim. Her presence inside helped Monmouth maintain a 23-22 edge at halftime despite scoring only seven points in the second quarter. The third quarter was a stalemate, with both teams netting 15 points, sending the game into the final period with Monmouth clinging to a 38-37 lead. The Hawks’ offense, however, went cold when it mattered most. Monmouth managed just seven points in the fourth quarter on 3-of-15 shooting from the floor. Stony Brook’s Janay Brantley took over down the stretch. The junior guard from Catskill, New York, scored seven of her team-high 14 points in the final quarter, including a crucial 3-pointer with 5:29 remaining that gave the Seawolves a 46-43 lead they would not relinquish. Brantley also added three assists and three blocks while playing all but 20 seconds of the contest. The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final 23 seconds with Stony Brook leading 49-45. Monmouth’ Alexis Andrews, who finished with 11 points, missed a 3-pointer that would have cut the deficit to one. Stony Brook’s Caitlin Frost secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled. Frost, a 6-foot-1 forward from Les Coteaux, Canada, who tallied 11 points and two blocks, calmly sank both free throws with 22 seconds left to extend the lead to six and effectively seal the outcome. Monmouth’s ensuing possession ended in a turnover, and Brantley was fouled, making two more free throws with seven seconds left to provide the final margin. The Hawks committed four turnovers in the final two minutes while scoring only two points. Dibula led Monmouth with 13 points, five blocks and three assists. GiGi Gamble of Somerset, New Jersey, was the Hawks’ leading scorer with 15 points, but was limited to 2-of-9 shooting in the second half. Stony Brook’s Sandra Frau-Garcia of Pego, Spain, orchestrated the offense with a game-high six assists to go with six points. The game was a reversal of the teams’ two regular-season meetings, both won by Stony Brook. The Seawolves’ victory was built on persistent defense and capitalizing on Monmouth’s late offensive drought, advancing their season while handing the Hawks a third loss in their last four games.

Preview: Monmouth Hawks vs. Stony Brook Seawolves WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Monmouth Hawks and Stony Brook Seawolves will meet for the third time this season in a neutral-site women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at CareFirst Arena on Friday, March 13, 2026. Monmouth (21-10) enters with momentum from a 72-61 victory over UNC Wilmington on Thursday. The Hawks have won four of their last five games. Stony Brook (17-14) looks to snap a two-game skid after a 55-41 loss at Campbell on March 7. The season series is tied 1-1, with each team winning on its home court. Stony Brook earned a 61-51 win on Feb. 1, and the Seawolves followed with a 68-60 victory at Monmouth on Feb. 13. A key player to watch for Monmouth is Divine Dibula. She scored 16 points in 23 minutes off the bench in Thursday’s win and has been a consistent scoring threat, including a 22-point performance at William & Mary on Feb. 20. Stony Brook will rely on Caitlin Frost, who logged 37 minutes and posted a team-high 14 points with six rebounds in the loss to Campbell. She has averaged 32 minutes per game over her last five contests. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Monmouth is projected with a 58.80 percent probability to win. The game tips off at 6 p.m. EDT.