MONTCLAIR — The first three shots told you everything.
Before some fans had even settled into their seats at the Panzer Athletic Center, the Red Hawks had already buried three straight three-pointers. The net barely moved. The bench exploded. The seniors clapped and pointed toward the crowd that came to celebrate them. It was sharp, confident and unapologetic.
Senior Day did not begin with nerves. It began with fire.
Montclair State delivered its most complete first half of the season Saturday afternoon, overwhelming Kean in an 82-38 victory that felt decided long before halftime. The Red Hawks improved to 15-9 overall and 11-6 in NJAC play, strengthening their grip on a top-four conference seed with just one regular-season game remaining.
The start was not just hot. It was suffocating.
Montclair State opened the game 3-for-3 from deep, jumping out to a 9-0 lead in the first two minutes. The ball movement was crisp. The spacing was clean. Every possession looked rehearsed, yet instinctive. Bella Bruce connected from the wing. Alyssa Craigwell found rhythm early. Alexis Strollo controlled the tempo like a veteran determined to make her final home appearance count, as Kean never found its footing.
By the midway point of the first quarter, Montclair State had already created separation. When the score reached 23-13 with under two minutes remaining in the period, Strollo took over. The senior guard scored eight unanswered points to close the quarter, weaving through defenders for layups and knocking down a mid-range jumper before finishing with a driving bucket in the final seconds. The Red Hawks carried a 31-13 lead into the second quarter, and the building felt electric.
The second quarter tightened the grip.
Neither team scored in the opening minute, but once Bruce found the bottom of the net at the 8:44 mark, the avalanche resumed. Montclair State ripped off a 15-0 run that stretched the lead to 46-13. The defense was just as dominant as the offense. Kean struggled to generate clean looks, finishing the game 0 for 16 from three-point range. Every passing lane seemed crowded. Every rebound contested.
By halftime, Montclair State led 54-17.
The numbers were staggering. The Red Hawks shot nearly 70 percent from the field in the first quarter and over 66 percent in the second. From beyond the arc, they connected on 11 of their first 16 attempts across the opening two frames. It was one of the most efficient stretches of basketball they have played all season.
The third quarter mirrored the second. After Kean scored the first basket of the half, Strollo responded with a three-pointer that quieted any thought of a comeback. Craigwell followed with back-to-back layups, slicing through the defense with purpose. Montclair State held Kean to just six points in the third and carried a commanding 75-23 lead into the fourth.
Only in the final quarter did the tempo ease.
With the outcome firmly decided, Montclair State rotated deeper into its bench. Kean managed a brief run early in the fourth, but Celina Bussanich answered with a timely shot, and Katie Dichter added five late points to close out the regular season home slate in emphatic fashion.
Craigwell led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, adding four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Her activity on both ends fueled transition opportunities and reinforced Montclair State’s defensive edge.
Strollo delivered the type of performance seniors dream about on this day. She finished with 11 points and a season high eight assists, orchestrating an offense that produced 22 assists as a team and generated open looks possession after possession.
Bruce contributed 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, battling on the glass and knocking down three triples. Bussanich added 11 points of her own, connecting on three shots from deep. Montclair State finished 14 for 32 from three-point range overall and shot over 46 percent from the field.
Beyond the box score, this win carried weight in the standings.
With the victory, Montclair State remains fourth in the NJAC at 11-6, tied in overall record with Stockton and Rowan at 15-9 but sitting in a tight race for playoff positioning. William Paterson has already secured the top seed at 17-0 in conference play, while TCNJ holds second at 13-4 and Stockton sits third at 12-5.
That makes Wednesday’s trip to TCNJ enormous.
A win would not only boost momentum entering the conference tournament but could impact seeding in a crowded middle tier of the standings. Montclair State and Rowan share identical conference records at 11-6. Stockton is just one game ahead. With one game left, every result matters.
The Red Hawks understand the opportunity in front of them.
Saturday’s performance sent a message that the Red Hawks are peaking at the right time. Over their last two games, they have shown defensive discipline, perimeter efficiency and a willingness to push tempo when opportunities present themselves. Against Kean, they scored 22 points off turnovers and added 16 fast-break points, turning defense into immediate offense.
For Kean, now 2-19 overall and 2-15 in conference play, the afternoon was another difficult chapter in a challenging season. The Cougars shot just 28 percent from the field and never held a lead. Maya Edwards led Kean with 10 points, but consistent scoring proved elusive against Montclair’s pressure.
As the final horn sounded, attention returned to the seniors.
Before tipoff, Montclair State honored Strollo, Isabella Orlando and Shannon Hughes for their contributions both on and off the court. Their impact goes beyond points and assists. They have been part of a program that has fought through injuries, embraced growth and positioned itself among the conference’s upper tier.
Head coach Karin Harvey praised the trio afterward, calling them amazing women who have shaped the program’s culture. The smiles during the postgame huddle told the same story.
Still, the job is not finished.
With one regular season game left and playoff seeding hanging in the balance, Montclair State heads to TCNJ knowing that momentum is real but fragile. The offense found rhythm. The defense found intensity. The seniors found their moment.
Now comes the test on the road.
If Saturday was a celebration of what this group has built, Wednesday will be about what they can still achieve. The NJAC tournament looms, and Montclair has positioned itself to make noise.
On Senior Day, the Red Hawks did more than honor the past.
They reminded everyone in the conference that they intend to shape the present and challenge the future.
