Monmouth women's basketball continues potential banner season in WNIT

WEST LONG BRANCH -- It's been a potential banner season for the Monmouth women's basketball team, and the Hawks aren't done after a 72-62 victory over Lehigh in the first round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament on Thursday night, Match 19. The Hawks have won 21 games on the season (21-11 overall record). After falling in the CAA quarterfinals to Stony Brook a week prior, Monmouth was contacted around 11:30 p.

m. Sunday night - after the women's NCAA Tournament was seeded - with a WNIT bid extended. Monmouth coach Cait Wetmore said she was excited but not surprised.

"We thought that we might (get a bid), just because our body of work with the 20 wins," Wetmore said. "We thought we had a good shot so we kind of just told the girls we got to stay ready and you can't go home for spring break just yet. We gave them a couple days off, we told them to be ready to go and they were.

" More: JUCO, D3 path paid off for Monmouth women's hoops star: 'Never had any offers' More: March Madness predictions with our Final Four picks and 2026 champion The home court win was backed by Divine Dibula's 20 points. The 6-foot-1 junior from Canada was a force inside the paint from the opening tip. She used her body to create space on the block and finish around the rim.