WARREN, Mich. – Sophomore forward Tamia Tounsel (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) dropped in a career-best 26 points and corralled 12 rebounds and Marissa Thomas (Toledo, Ohio/Perrysburg) followed with 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help propel Women's Basketball to a 66-56 home victory over Alma College JV on Saturday (Dec. 30). The win, the team's fourth in a row, improved the Monarchs' record to 7-3 overall and 4-0 at home this season.

Saturday marked the first home game for the Monarchs since Nov. 16 as the Blue & White previously played six road games over the course of a six-week period.

Trailing 27-24 at the half, the Monarchs turned the game around in the third quarter behind the hot hand of freshman wing, Sydney Garon (Shelby Twp., Mich./Henry Ford II). Garon poured in eight of her 11 points in the first two minutes of the third quarter as part of a 15-3 run that put the Monarchs up by nine, 39-30.

Garon's hot start to the second half helped the Monarchs outscore the Scots in the third quarter, 25-15, and take a 49-42 lead into the fourth quarter.

The combination of Tounsel and Thomas took over in the final quarter as Tounsel scored 10 of her career-high 26 points and grabbed five rebounds in the frame, while Thomas dished out three assists—all to Tounsel—to accompany three points and three boards over the final 10 minutes of play to help the Monarchs secure the victory.

Tounsel's 26-point, 12-rebound performance marked the sophomore's fifth double-double of the campaign, while Thomas once again provided balanced across the stat sheet after coming up one rebound and four assists shy of a triple-double. Tounsel shot 10-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the free throw line as part of an efficient effort against the Scots.

Garon finished with 11 points and Kamryn Richards (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) recorded eight points and four assists in the 10-point win. Danielle Billinger (Detroit, Mich./Riverview Gabriel Richard) was aggressive throughout and corralled six boards, while Hannah Roberts (Roseville, Mich./L'Anse Creuse) followed closely with five rebounds of her own.

The Monarchs return to action Jan. 5 & 6 at the SC4 Classic with games against Muskegon (Jan. 5 – 2:00 p.m.) and Kalamazoo Valley (Jan. 6 – 11:00 a.m.) at the SC4 Fieldhouse in Port Huron.