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SUNY Niagara can't win fourth straight, falls to host Monroe at MLK Mixer
Posted: Jan 17, 2026

SUNY Niagara can't win fourth straight, falls to host Monroe at MLK Mixer

SUNY Niagara was denied a fourth consecutive win as it lost to Monroe University, 88-55, Saturday in New Rochelle. This was the first day of the 2026 Monroe MLK Mixer, which also featured Montgomery College and Monroe Community College.

SUNY Niagara held a 19-17 lead at the end of the first quarter before the host Mustangs shot 11-of-20 (55%) from the field and posted 27 points in the second quarter for a 44-32 halftime lead. The Thunderwolves were then outscored 41-23 in the second half and Monroe closed the game on a 17-4 run in the final 8 minutes, 6 seconds. 

Anna Astre scored a team-high 15 points and shot 7-of-17 from the field for the Thunderwolves. The freshman also recorded five steals and four rebounds in 31 minutes of action.

Azriel Hall scored 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting and recorded her 17th consecutive game in double-digit scoring. Hall is averaging a team-high 18.8 points per game and is 22nd among all NJCAA Division II players.

After recording her fifth career double-double (19 points, 10 assists) and her 500th career point at Lakeland CC Monday, Isabella Karabetsos scored 10 points and had a season-high six steals. The sophomore also tallied a season-low one assist, which was also just the fourth time in her career. 

Atarah Walker recorded seven points and five rebounds and Ava Bull had four points and a team-high eight rebounds to round out the starting lineup. 

Alana Rivers had four points and Adriana Kennedy had two points off the bench. Allison Milleville had four rebounds and Shania Beylo had two rebounds.

SUNY Niagara shot 24-of-73 (32.9%) from the field, 2-of-15 (13.3) from the 3-point line and 5-of-9 (55.6%) from the free-throw line. The Thunderwolves scored 40 points in the paint but only recorded six assists, their fewest since they had five in a 63-59 win at St. Clair CC on Nov. 13. 

SUNY Niagara is now 10-7 this season and has won five of its last eight contests since a 90-30 win over Villa Maria College on Nov. 23 in Sanborn. The Thunderwolves recorded their 10th win of the season — the 13th time in the last 14 seasons (since 2012-13) — in an 84-56 win at Lakeland CC on Jan. 12. 

 

NOTES:

 

  • SUNY Niagara is now 2-5 all-time against Monroe University since the rivalry began on Feb. 4, 2017. 

 

  • With the team-high 15 points, Astre recorded her eighth double-digit scoring game of the season and the sixth time in her last nine appearances and recorded her 10th start of the season. Astre is averaging 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and shooting 41.1% from the field in 19.9 minutes per game.

 

  • Saturday marked the first time this season and only the fourth time in her career where Karabetsos recorded one assist in a game. SUNY Niagara is 7-3 this season when Karabetsos recorded at least five assists in a game and 9-1 when the team posted at least 15 total.

 

  • Karabetsos is now eighth among all NJCAA Division II players in assists this season with 96, trailing only Pima CC’s Melicia Nelson (133), Palm Beach State College’s Janiah Suprius (118), Waubonsee CC’s Niallie Evans (113), Rock Valley College’s Deniya Gary (111), Delta College’s Damaya Hartwick (109), College of Lake County’s Annamaria Luna (105) and Chandler-Gilbert CC’s Addyson Horsley (99).

 

  • Along with reaching double-digits in points for a 17th straight game, Hall posted her 14th game with at least five rebounds. A Lockport High School graduate, Hall has recorded 320 points and 93 rebounds.

 

  • In her 49th all-time appearance, Bull recorded her 400th career point on a free-throw attempt with 1:21 left in the third quarter after she was three away from the milestone and now has 401 in her career. Bull also recorded a team-high eight rebounds and now has 396 in her career. This season, Bull is averaging 8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. 

 

  • After the seven points and five rebounds, Walker has recorded 374 points (8.3 per game) and 393 rebounds (8.7 rebounds) and nine career double-doubles in 45 appearances. The Niagara Falls High School graduate is currently ranked 79th in rebounds per game (8.6) among all NJCAA Division II players this season.

 

SUNY Niagara continues its season when it faces Montgomery College at 11 a.m. Sunday in the second and final day of the MLK Mixer in New Rochelle.