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Next Game:
vs. Stony Brook
3/13/2026 | 2:30 PM
Mar. 13 (Fri) / 2:30 PM

vs. Stony Brook
Final Score
#5 Monmouth (20-10, 12-6 CAA) – 72
#13 UNCW (7-24, 2-16 CAA) – 61
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WASHINGTON – Monmouth University advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2026 CAA Women’s Basketball Championship with a 72-61 victory over UNCW on Thursday afternoon at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C. The win clinches the seventh 20-win season in program history, and fourth consecutive season Monmouth has reached the CAA Quarterfinals.
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The milestone victory gave head coach Cait Wetmore her first 20-win season at the helm of the program. In what was a back-and-forth contest through the first 25 minutes, Monmouth was able to take control and pull away in the second half.
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Junior guard Gigi Gamble led the Hawks with 17 points, while forward Divine Dibula added 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds in a strong all-around effort. Kathy Kersaint matched her career high with 13 points off the bench, and Alexis Andrews also scored 13 points while distributing a game-high six assists alongside Madalena Amaro. It marked the fifth time this season that four Monmouth players scored in double figures, and the Hawks improved to 4-1 in those games.
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Monmouth’s defensive pressure proved decisive throughout the afternoon. The Hawks forced 23 turnovers and recorded a season-best 15 steals against a Division I opponent, with Dibula setting a career high with five takeaways. The defensive effort sparked Monmouth’s fast break offense, an area in which the Hawks dominated the Seahawks, 20-2.
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On the glass, Monmouth held a commanding 38-25 advantage in rebounds, including 18 offensive boards that led to seven second chance points. The Hawks also dominated inside, outscoring UNCW 42-20 in the paint while shooting 46.2% from the field.
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After trailing 16-13 at the end of the first quarter, Monmouth responded with an 18-13 second frame to take a 31-29 halftime lead. The Hawks continued to separate in the third quarter, winning the period 23-18 before closing out the win with an 18-14 edge in the fourth.
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Quotes
“Really proud of this win. It felt like it took us a little bit to get going coming off of our bye, but I thought our defense really gave us the juice we needed down the stretch. I think our press helped us out, which gave us some really good shots on the other end off of those turnovers.
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We’re looking forward to the matchup with Stony Brook. Our players are excited to get another chance to play them.” – Head Coach Cait Wetmore
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Notes & Numbers Crunch
– Monmouth advances to the CAA Quarterfinals for the fourth time in four seasons as members of the league.
– Cait Wetmore notches 20 wins in a season for the first time in her career.
– It was the fifth time this season four Hawks have scored in double figures, and MU is 4-1 in such games.
– Kathy Kersaint tied her career high with 13 points.
– Monmouth forced 15 steals – their most vs. a D-I opponent this season.
– Divine Dibula led the Hawks with five takeaway, which is a career high.
– The Hawks lead the all-time series, 4-2.
– The game featured seven lead changes and four ties.
– The Hawks led for 30:10, while the Seahawks led for 8:46.
– Monmouth made 46.2% of its field goals to UNCW’s 43.1%.
– Monmouth won the rebounding battle, 38-25.
– MU outscored UNCW, 22-8, off turnovers.
– The Hawks had more points in the paint, 42-20.
– Both teams had seven second chance points.
– Monmouth had more fast break points, 20-2.
– UNCW had more bench points, 19-15.
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UP NEXT
The Hawks meet No. 4 Stony Brook in the CAA Quarterfinals on Friday, March 13. The game will be streamed live on FloCollege at 2:30 p.m.
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