NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., February 15, 2018 – Frances Morales scored a season-high 27 points, and Briyanna Graham recorded her sixth-career double-double, but the Monroe Express women's basketball team fell to Nassau Community College, 71-61, Thursday at the Monroe Athletic Complex.
 
The Lions outscored the Express, 19-8, in the first quarter, as Monroe struggled to find their range, shooting just 12.5 percent from the floor.
 
And though the Express shot better in the second quarter, the Lions still outscored the Express, 21-18 in the quarter, and Monroe headed into halftime down 40-26 after Frances Morales hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.
 
Morales continued her terrific play in the second half, as the Express cut the deficit to single digits midway through the fourth quarter, but a late 6-0 run from the Lions brought the lead back out to double-digits.
 
Monroe countered with one last run of their own, outscoring Nassau, 11-6 down the final stretch, but the Lions held on for the 10-point, 71-61 victory.
 
Morales led the Express with her career-high 27, adding eight rebounds and four assists, while Tatyana Forde added 14 points and Graham tallied 10 points and 12 rebounds for her sixth-career double-double.
 
Though the Express shot just 24.3 percent from the floor, and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc, Monroe made up for it with 15 made free throws, and 13 points off 16 Nassau turnovers.
 
With the loss, the Express drop to 6-14 on the season.
 
The Express are back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 20 when they travel to Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. to take on the Sullivan County Community College Generals at 6 p.m.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of Monroe's Bronx campus has six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level beginning with their inaugural seasons in the fall of 2017.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress) and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).