ELON, N.C. (Interstat) — GiGi Gamble scored 30 points and Monmouth used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from Elon for a 77-62 victory in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday night at Schar Center.

The Hawks, who led by just four points at halftime, outscored the Phoenix 24-18 in the pivotal third period to seize control and improve to 8-4 on the season. Elon fell to 5-8.

The game’s decisive stretch began with Monmouth clinging to a 34-32 lead early in the third quarter. Over the next five minutes, the Hawks unleashed a 14-4 run, fueled by their defensive intensity and Gamble’s scoring prowess. The spurt included a 3-pointer and an assist from Gamble, a layup from Divine Dibula and a steal and score from Ella Farrelly. When Kathy Kersaint-Pierre converted a layup off a Gamble assist with 6:06 left in the quarter, Monmouth’s lead had ballooned to 48-36.

Elon, led by LaNae’ Corbett’s 15 points, could not mount a sustained response. The Phoenix cut the deficit to 10 points on several occasions but each time Monmouth answered, often through Gamble. The guard from Somerset, New Jersey, was efficient throughout, adding three assists in 37 minutes while spearheading the offense.

Monmouth’s Alexis Andrews provided crucial support with 14 points and three assists. The Hawks’ defense was also instrumental, forcing 22 Elon turnovers and converting them into 23 points. Farrelly contributed two blocks and two steals, while Kersaint-Pierre added nine points, a block and a steal.

For Elon, Ashlee Shaw matched Corbett with 15 points, but the Phoenix struggled to find consistent offense outside of that duo. Monmouth’s defensive pressure, particularly in the second half, disrupted Elon’s rhythm and limited clean looks.

The first half was a tightly contested affair featuring six ties and seven lead changes. Elon held a 15-14 edge after a back-and-forth first quarter, but Monmouth took a 34-30 lead into the intermission after Andrews sank a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer.

The victory continued a strong stretch for Monmouth, which has now won four of its last five games. Gamble, who scored 27 points in a win over Georgian Court on Monday, has averaged 28.5 points over that two-game span. Elon, which entered the game with a 54.6% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system, has lost two of its last three.

An announced crowd of 612 watched the game at Schar Center.

Monmouth next travels to face North Carolina A&T on Sunday. Elon will remain at home to host Hampton on Sunday.