WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by missed opportunities than made shots, the Monmouth Hawks escaped with a 52-50 victory over the UNC Wilmington Seahawks in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday afternoon at the Multipurpose Activity Center.

The game, witnessed by 337 fans, was a contest of attrition where neither team could sustain offensive rhythm. Monmouth improved to 10-4 on the season, while UNC Wilmington fell to 5-9. The result defied a sluggish performance from both sides, with the teams combining to shoot just 32.5% from the field and a dismal 31.3% from the free-throw line.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final ten seconds. Trailing 50-49, Monmouth’ Kathy Kersaint-Pierre was fouled and went to the line for two shots with eight seconds remaining. She calmly sank both free throws, a rare clutch performance at the stripe on a afternoon where the Hawks missed 10 of 16 attempts, to give Monmouth a 51-50 lead.

On the ensuing inbound play, UNC Wilmington’s Mary Ferrito committed a turnover, her pass intercepted by Monmouth’s Divine Dibula. Dibula was immediately fouled and sent to the line with eight ticks left. She made the first free throw but missed the second, leaving the door slightly ajar for UNC Wilmington, down 52-50.

After a timeout, the Seahawks’ Rori Cox drove the length of the court but her contested layup attempt missed. Monmouth’s Madalena Amaro secured the defensive rebound and was fouled with less than a second remaining. She missed the first free throw but intentionally missed the second, and time expired on the scramble for the rebound, sealing the narrow win for the Hawks.

The contest was a grind from the opening tip. The first quarter ended tied at 13, and Monmouth built a 25-19 halftime lead by holding UNC Wilmington to just six points in the second period. The Seahawks found a spark after the break, erupting for 21 points in the third quarter behind the scoring of Cox to take a 40-38 lead into the final frame.

The fourth quarter saw five lead changes and two ties, with neither team leading by more than four points. Monmouth’s ability to generate points from UNC Wilmington’s mistakes proved a subtle difference; the Hawks scored 17 points off 17 Seahawk turnovers, while UNC Wilmington managed only 10 points off 16 Monmouth giveaways.

Divine Dibula led Monmouth with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes. Alexis Andrews added 12 points, and Madalena Amaro contributed 11 points and four assists. For UNC Wilmington, Rori Cox scored a game-high 16 points, and Kylah Silver nearly recorded a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds.

The game was a testament to defensive pressure and rebounding, with Monmouth holding a 14-8 edge in offensive boards, leading to 12 second-chance points. Both teams posted identical offensive ratings below 76, underscoring the inefficient offensive night. The Seahawks shot 40.7% from the field but were undone by 17 turnovers and a 3-for-7 performance at the foul line.

Monmouth, which entered the game with a 93.3% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system, will travel to face Northeastern on Sunday. UNC Wilmington looks to rebound on the road at Towson, also on Sunday.