POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (December 7, 2014) – The Vassar College women's basketball team will look to bounce back off Saturday's loss to Stevens Institute of Technology, traveling to Montclair State University to take on the No. 9 Red Hawks in non-conference action Monday evening. The Brewers dropped their first home game in the last 11 games Saturday against Stevens, as the Ducks earned a 72-55 win over Vassar.
Game Details
Opponent: at No. 9 Montclair State University (7-0, 4-0 NJAC)
Links:  (MSU Women's Basketball Homepage)  (Roster)  (Stats)  (Schedule)
Site: Montclair, NJ
Facility: Panzer Athletic Center
Date: November 25, 2014
Time: 7:00 pm
Coverage:  (Live Stats)  (Live Video)
Twitter: @Vassar Athletics, @VassarWBB, @msuredhawks, @montclairstwbb

What To Look For
The Brewers struggled defensively against the athletic Ducks on Saturday afternoon, and will play another athletic, skilled team in the Red Hawks Monday. Vassar College knocked off MSU last year in Poughkeepsie, as the Brewers pounded the ball inside and got a huge game from then-senior Hannah Senftleber. If Vassar can maintain this game plan and make shots count on the inside, it would be great on helping kept Montclair State out of transition.
 
A Look At The Red Hawks
Montclair State comes into Monday's contest ranked No. 9 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 poll and No. 7 in the D3hoops.com poll, have gone 7-0 this season thus far. The Red Hawks are fresh off an emphatic 71-34 win over Ramapo College on Saturday, taking a 41-13 lead into the halftime break. Katie Sire and Kayla Ceballos each had 13 points for MSU to lead the way, while preseason first-team All-American Melissa Tobie posted 11 points and eight rebounds as well. MSU has been solid this season offensively, ranking first in the New Jersey Athletic Conference in field goal percentage with a 43.1 percent clip. The Red Hawks are also first in scoring defense and 19^th in the nation in that category, surrendering just 48.8 points per game.
 
The go-to player so far this season for the Red Hawks has been Janitza Aquino, who comes into the game Monday averaging 17.0 points per game, making 20 three-pointers already this season. Tobie is making 51.3 percent of her shots, averaging 14.9 points and a team-high eight rebounds per game. Sire adds 9.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Ceballos has come off the bench in all seven games to post 7.9 points a contest. Kate Tobie has started all seven games, and leads the team in assists with 26, also pulling in 2.6 caroms a game. The Red Hawks are currently outscoring its opposition 70.4-49.6 on the season, and have turned the ball over just 108 times in seven contests.
 
Projected starters: Janitza Aquino (17.0 PPG), Melissa Tobie (14.9), Katie Sire (9.1), Sage Bennett (7.6), Kate Tobie (2.6).
 
Against Montclair State All-Time
The Brewers are 1-3 against the Red Hawks all-time, with the only win for Vassar coming last year in the Athletics and Fitness Center. Prior to that 63-58 win by VC, Montclair State had earned the previous three games, all from 1997-1999. Two of the three losses came by seven points, while MSU's first win over Vassar back on March 9, 1997 was a 60-49 decision.
 
Charity Stripe
The Brewers so far this season are second in the Liberty League in free throw percentage, and rank 22^nd in the nation in Division III, making 77.9 percent from the line.
 
Hands Up In The Air
Freshman Ariella Rosenthal (Mill Valley, CA/Redwood) posted her career-high Saturday against Stevens, pouring in a team-best 17 points on the afternoon.
 
Spread The Minutes
The Brewers have had all eight players play at least 15 minutes per game this season thus far, led by the 36 minutes per night by junior guard Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug).
 
Glass Cleaner
Vassar junior Colleen O'Connell (Maywood, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) currently leads the team in rebounding with 8.6 a game, and has posted back-to-back double-doubles for the Brewers.
 
Helping Hand
Vassar has going 4-0 this season when sharing the ball and posting double-digit assists, but have dropped all three contests when not posting 10 or more helpers.
 
Attack The Rim
The Brewers shot just 14 free throws on Saturday against Stevens, which was the fewest in a game this season and the smallest amount in a contest for Vassar since shooting just 10 against Skidmore College February 14, 2014, a span of 15 games.
 
Reserves On The Ready
This season in losses, the bench scoring has been very slanted towards the opposition, as opposing teams are posting a 104-34 advantage in scoring from reserves.
Kim Can
Freshman Kim Romanoff (Durham, CT/Coginchaug Regional) has averaged 4.5 assists over her last two games, including handing out a season-best five at Mount Saint Mary Tuesday.
 
Up Next
The Brewers will take the next 22 days off before hosting Hartwick College December 30 at 7 p.m. in the Athletics and Fitness Center.