MONMOUTH – As Margo Russell sat on the bench, her legs jiggled and her body was just as jittery. All the senior center could do for much of the first half Friday night was watch the battle of the two top teams in Western C while she nursed two fouls and her frustration.

“I hate not being in there with my teammates,” said the Madison senior, who picked up her fouls quickly. “It’s everything for us this year. It’s our senior year. I wanted to be in there with them and help them win.”

When Russell got her chance in the third quarter, she did just that. She helped the unbeaten Bulldogs maintain its perfect record and preserve the No. 1 spot in Western C with a 44-33 victory over second-ranked Monmouth. Russell finished with a game-high 15 points, 12 coming in the second half.

“It really means a lot to us because they were up there with us,” said Russell, who scored eight of the Bulldogs first 11 points in the third quarter as Madison erased a two-point deficit and built a five-point lead. “So it was a really good win for us.”

Monmouth (8-2) stayed with the Bulldogs (10-0) and built a four-point lead late in the first half on baskets by Jenn Lola and Katie Woodman.

“Madison is a great team,” said Monmouth coach Rick Amero. “We knew that coming in. They play with great intensity and great confidence. We know they go eight or nine deep. What they’ve been doing in the league, we had a lot of concern with how we’d match up with them especially with some of our kids that are new to varsity. I’m just as proud as I can be of the kids.”

Jenn Lola and Alyssa Morin each had 10 points for the Mustangs while Jill Armstrong had seven. It was a third quarter in which Monmouth struggled to produce offensively and Russell got hot that put the Bulldogs in the driver’s seat.

“As the game went on, I think we just wore out and we didn’t have anything else to give,” said Amero. “I think that carried over to the offensive end and showed a little bit when Margo got loose a lot more.”

Russell scored six straight points to start the second half. It erased a 21-19 deficit and put Madison up 25-23. Monmouth was able to work patiently on offense and set up quality shots inside, but on at least three occasions the Mustangs missed easy shots. Monmouth shot 1-for-8 in the third and could muster just two free throws the final 6:45 of the quarter.

“We couldn’t finish,” said Amero, whose team was also 9-for-19 from the foul line. “If those go in, all of a sudden there’s momentum. You’re still playing instead of being down by four or six.”

After a Lola free throw, Briann Emery hit a 3-pointer for a 28-24 lead. Armstrong added a free throw, but Russell finished off the quarter with a basket in the post for a 30-25 lead. Emery finished with 13 and did an exceptional defensive job on Lola.

“Whoever is open, we try to get it to them every game,” said Russell. “We just try to work together as a team. Whoever is open is who we get it to.”

Lola scored to start the fourth, but a drive by Mykayla Stoutamyer answered that. A pair of Russell baskets inside made it 38-29, and the Bulldogs were in command. Madison slowed the game down, spread out its offense and looked for the good shot. The Mustangs took just six shots in the fourth and hit five of them.

“We had to be confident and play like we were ahead and keep up the intensity,” said Russell.