ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women's basketball team will continue its first week of action as part of the 2021-22 season with a road tilt at Monmouth on Friday night. Playing its first and only road game for the month of November, the Mids (0-1) will go up against a Hawks (0-1) squad that is learning a new system under first-year head coach Ginny Boggess. The game on Friday night is set for a 7 p.m. tip at the OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch, N.J. with live streaming available through the ESPN3 channel. 

Masking Information for OceanFirst Bank Center
The following policies are in effect until further notice at Monmouth's home arena ...
1.    All fans 18 and over are required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test administered by a doctor's office or a clinic within 72 hours of the event time for indoor Athletic events. Home test kit results will not be accepted.
2.    All event audiences must wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth of the participant. Face shields are not acceptable. This includes fans from 2-17 years of age.
3.    Athletic events held in the OceanFirst Bank Center will be permitted to have food in the stands as long as masks remain on when the participant is not actively consuming food or beverages. Masks must be worn otherwise.
 
Navy vs. Monmouth
The Mids and Hawks have met four times over the first 29 years of their respective head-to-head series ... The first time the two squads met up was Dec. 31, 1992 in Orlando, Fla. as part of the 1992 Holiday Classic; Navy came away with a six-point victory in that initial matchup, 78-72 ... 13 years later, the Mids and Hawks were matched up in another neutral site contest in Florida in 2005 at the FAU Tip-Off Classic; a nine-point win for Monmouth, 88-79 ... November 30, 2017 was the first on-campus contest between either of the teams and the Mids earned a healthy 24-point victory in Annapolis, 73-49; that home-and-home series was concluded on December 19, 2018 in West Long Branch with a one-point victory for the home Hawks side, 68-67 ... This is the first of three matchups in Navy's non-conference schedule against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents as the Mids will host Fairfield on November 23 before visiting Rider on December 12.
    All-Time Series: Navy 2 - Monmouth 2
    December 19, 2018 (A): Monmouth 68 - Navy 67
    November 30, 2017 (H): Navy 73 - Monmouth 49
    November 19, 2005 (N): Monmouth 88 - Navy 79 (FAU Tip-Off Classic, Boca Raton, Fla.)
    December 31, 1992 (N): Navy 78 - Monmouth 72 (Holiday Classic, Orlando, Fla.)

Most Recent Matchup ~ December 19, 2018 at West Long Branch
The Navy women's basketball team fell victim to a lights-out shooting effort by Monmouth late in the game as the host Hawks came from behind to knock off the Mids by a score of 68-67. Leading 36-24 going into halftime, Navy was unable to shut down a Monmouth team that shot a scalding 75.0 percent from the field in the fourth quarter and finished with back-to-back 22-point quarters in the third and fourth periods of action at OceanFirst Bank Center.

Sophie Gatzounas ('21) had a day for the record book as she netted a career-high 22 points, while missing just three shots the entire game. Her line on Wednesday was 7-10 from field, 3-5 from three-point range and 5-5 from the foul line. She was joined in double figures by Jennifer Coleman, who tallied 16 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists.

On the strength of a 20-7 advantage in scoring in the second quarter, Navy went into the locker room up 36-24 over Monmouth. The duo of Gatzounas and Coleman were responsible for 17 of the Mids' 20 points in that period. At the half, Navy was outshooting Monmouth from the field, 37 to 31 percent. The Mids made three three-pointers over the opening 20 minutes and was 7-8 from the foul line.
 
Navy scored the first and only two points of the third quarter over the opening 3:38 to go up 38-24. Coming out of the under-five media timeout with a 12-point deficit, the Hawks sank back-to-back three-pointers in a span of 27 seconds to make it a 40-34 game in favor of the Mids. Three more points by Monmouth was part of a 13-2 run over a 3:18 span. With the game tightened to a 40-37 margin, Bianca Roach ('19) made a pair of free throws and Morgan Taylor ('20) swished a three-pointer from the far corner to re-extend Navy's lead to 45-37 at the 2:32 mark of the stanza. From that point in the action, the hosts completed the quarter on a 9-3 run to make it, 48-46 Navy, after 30 minutes of play.
 
A 5-2 start for the fourth quarter helped Monmouth re-take the lead, 51-50 at 6:33. That was the Hawks' first lead since it was 17-16 to start the second quarter. With the score 58-54 in favor of Monmouth, Gatzounas converted a four-point play at 3:45 as she netted a three-pointer and the ensuing free throw as she was fouled in the act. Gatzounas sank her second straight three-pointer to briefly put the Mids up 61-60 before the Hawks came right back with a layup at 2:03. The hectic back-and-forth action continued over the final 123 seconds as game was tied three times, at 62-62, 65-65 and 67-67, respectively. At the line with the game tied and 12 seconds showing on the scoreboard, the Hawks' Lucy Thomas sank one of two free throws to net the game's final point as Monmouth secured the come-from-behind victory, 68-67.

For the game, Monmouth outshot Navy, 45 percent (24-54) to 35 (23-66) from the field and 56 (10-18) percent to 29 (6-21) from three-point range. A 9-12 showing from the field and 3-4 effort from three-point range in the fourth quarter boosted the Hawks' overall percentages heartily. The Mids won the free throw battle, 88 percent (15-17) to 83 (10-12). 
 
A tight matchup on the glass saw the Hawks out-rebound the Mids, 37-35. Taylor led Navy's cause with a career-high 12 rebounds. Navy's harassing defense forced Monmouth into 24 turnovers on nine steals.

Comparing the Teams

(2020-21 Stats)	Navy	Monmouth
Record / League-Only	5-7 / 5-3 PL	2-16, 2-11 MAAC
Home /Away Record	3-1 / 2-6	1-8 / 1-7
Points Per Game	58.9 PPG	46.0 PPG
Points Allowed Per Game	60.7 PPG	60.2 PPG
Field Goal Percentage	38.6 %	33.1 %
3-Point Percentage	27.0 %	28.6 %
Free Throw Percentage	72.5 %	59.3 %
Rebounds Per Game	39.8 RPG	37.1 RPG
Assists/Turnovers Per Game	11.3 / 18.0	9.6 / 19.8

Returning Leaders

(2020-21 Stats)	Navy	Monmouth
Points Per Game	Coleman, 17.1 ppg	J. Louro, 9.0 ppg
Rebounds Per Game	Coleman, 11.3 rpg	B. Kranbuhl, 8.0 rpg
Assists Per Game	Coleman, 4.2 apg	J. Hall, 1.9 apg
Field Goal Percentage	Coleman, 42.8 %	B. Kranbuhl, 47.5 %
3-Point Percentage	Donza, 29.2 %	J. Hall, 40.0 %
Free Throw Percentage	Green, 76.5 %	A. Vanderhoop, 76.9 %

Navy in Road Openers
Over the past five road openers, Navy is 2-3 with victories over Clemson in 2019 and Marist in 2017 ... All three of the Mids' losses were competitive with final margins of 10 or less points, including a four-point loss last season at George Mason.
    Last Five Road Openers
    November 29, 2020: George Mason 72 - Navy 68    
    November 9, 2019: Navy 65 - Clemson 52
    November 18, 2018: Norfolk State 65 - Navy 58
    November 10, 2017: Navy 77 - Marist 70
    November 11, 2016: Wake Forest 75 - Navy 65

Last Time Out, Tuesday versus Georgetown
Navy began its 2021-22 season with a 73-62 defeat at the hands of Georgetown on Tuesday night at Alumni Hall. Trailing throughout most of the game, the Mids (0-1) drew within two points at 54-52 with under nine minutes to go in regulation, before the taller and more physical Hoyas (1-0) wore down the hosts and pulled away late for the 11-point margin of victory.

Preseason All-Patriot League honoree Jennifer Coleman started her senior campaign with a strong individual effort as she recorded her 17th career double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds over 39 minutes of action. She was joined in double figures by Kolbi Green, who accounted for 13 points and five assists. Making her first collegiate start, Imani Edmonds nearly made it three Mids in double figures as she finished with eight points, including a pair of three-pointers.

Close throughout most of the first half, Navy was bolstered by three-point shooting, especially in the second quarter when the Mids went 5-for-8 from long distance. Sparked by Green's trey at 6:02, Coleman and Sydne Watts each hit from long range as Coleman book-ended Watts' three-pointer at 3:26 with treys at 5:08 and 2:54, respectively. Watts drew the score even at 28-28 with 2:23 on the clock as she converted a foul shot attempt. Georgetown responded to this threat with seven unanswered points. Kriss Arjukese put an end to the Hoyas' streak with her first career basket, a three-pointer from the right wing with 39 seconds to go in the period. Each team added two points down the stretch to send the game into halftime at 37-33 for Georgetown.

The Hoyas began the third quarter with a hot run of play that saw the visitors march out to a then game-high 11-point lead, 48-37 at 6:10. A hard fought steal, jumper and and-one conversion by Coleman helped invigorate the Mids as they went on an 11-3 run from 5:45 to 1:35 to whittle their deficit down to three, 51-48. Edmonds cut Georgetown's lead to just one point in the final minute of play as she cut to the hoop with a slick driving layup with 36 seconds left in the third quarter. The Hoyas went one-for-two at the foul line with tenths of a second on the clock to take a 52-50 advantage into the fourth and final quarter.
 
Navy kept Georgetown close over the first four-plus minutes of action in the fourth on the strength of two baskets by Kristina Donza, one of which was a three-pointer from the top of the arch at 6:54. With the score 58-55 following that three-point basket by Donza, the Mids ran into foul trouble and a lengthy cold streak on offense, that left them searching for their next made field goal for over six minutes before Mimi Schrader hit a jumper with 34 seconds left in regulation. During that span of play the Hoyas were able to expand their three-point lead out to 12, 70-58. The two teams traded baskets to close out the action as the game went final with a score of 73-62 in favor of Georgetown.
 
For the game, Georgetown outshot Navy from the field, 43.8 percent (28-64) to 37.0 (20-54) and from three-point range, 43.8 percent (7-16) to 35.7 (10-28). The Mids had an edge in free throw shooting with a 66.7 percent (12-18) showing versus a 47.6 percent (10-21) mark for the Hoyas. The 10 made three-pointers were the most for Navy under second-year head coach Tim Taylor as the team's single-game high in 2020-21 was eight treys.
 
The taller Georgetown squad dominated the rebounding battle with a 51-27 advantage in total rebounds, as well as a 19-6 margin in offense boards. That significant differential resulted in a 16-1 edge for the Hoyas in second-chance points.