Monmouth University’s men’s basketball team (2-8, 0-1 NEC) fell to the visiting Rider Broncs (7-4, 1-1 MAAC), 76-55 on Saturday night in Boylan Gym.
Rider expanded on its 15-point halftime lead by outscoring Monmouth 7-0 in the first three minutes of the second frame, to take a commanding 42-20 lead. Whitney Coleman broke the MU scoring draught with a shot from beyond the arc at the 16:53 mark, then followed up with another trey to boost the Hawk offense. Monmouth’s defense had a hard time containing preseason All-American Jason Thompson who scored his 18th point of the game on a one-handed dunk with 10:31 to play in regulation. Rider cruised the rest of the way, sealing the 76-55 victory.
The two defenses took center stage in the opening minutes, with it taking more than three minutes for the game’s first bucket, which came on a Harris Mansell jumper. Guard Jhamar Youngblood hit a three pointer to cut the Rider lead to one before Alex Nunner knocked down a trey to tie the game at 8-8 with 13:20 to play in the first half. The Broncs used back-to-back breakaway dunks to take a four point lead, which was part of an 18-3 Rider run over a seven minute span. Freshman George Barbour finally broke the Hawk scoring drought with a layup at the 5:49 mark. Rider headed into locker room ahead 35-20.
The Broncs shot 53.1 percent from the floor, compared to Monmouth’s 33.9 shooting percentage. MU struggled from the charity stripe, converting just 50 percent from the line.
R.J. Rutledge led Monmouth with 13 points, while fellow freshman Nick DelTufo finished with 11. Youngblood was the third Hawk to score in double digits with 10. Dutch Gaitley led MU on the glass with five rebounds as the Hawks were out-rebounded 39-29.
Thompson led all scorers and rebounders with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Harris chipped in 13 points and eight on the glass.
The Hawks will look for its first home win of the season on Sunday when they host Florida Atlantic in Boylan Gym.
Monmouth University’s women’s basketball team (1-8) fell to Drexel (2-6) on Sunday afternoon by a score of 57-49 at Boylan Gym.
After the Hawks took an early first half lead, Drexel launched a 22-5 first half run, which would be the building blocks for the Dragons second victory of the season.
Coming out of the break, Monmouth trailed Drexel 29-17, but the Dragons expanded on that lead quickly, outscoring the Hawks 7-0 to start the first two minutes of the final frame. The Blue & White then rattled off six straight points, but still had to work behind by double digits. Brooke McElroy put back a layup after an offensive board to cut the Drexel lead to 38-27 with 11:49 showing on the clock. The Hawks got the deficit down to eight on a McElroy three pointer but three consecutive three pointers by Drexel’s Gabriela Marginean ratcheted the visitor’s lead back up to 15 points.
Jennifer Bender nailed an inside layup to get the Dragon lead down to 51-41 with 3:47 to play, which junior Marisa Jimenez followed up with a pair of free throws to get the Hawks within eight. McElroy then hit a open trey from the wing and MU found itself back 51-46 with 1:25 showing on the board. After Veronica Randolph grabbed a defensive rebound, guard Marbely Montas hit one of two free throws to slice the lead to four, cap- ping a 11-0 MU run. MU was unable to get any closer, with Drexel finishing ahead 57- 49.
Monmouth earned an early 4-0 lead after working the ball inside and hitting the defensive glass before Drexel took its first lead of the game six minutes in, taking a 5-4 lead on a free throw. Bender converted a pair of free throws to regain the lead for MU, but Drexel’s Roseeel drained back-to-back three pointers switching the lead once again back to the Dragons. LaKia Barber hit a layup off the glass to stop a 10-0 Drexel run and put the Hawks back seven at the midway point of the first half. Randolph hit a three ball with just over eight minutes to play, slicing the lead to 17-11, but Hester answered right back with back to back jumpers, restoring the lead to 10 points.
MU struggled on the offensive end of the floor, while Drexel heated up, prompting a Michele Baxter timeout after the score ballooned to 27-11 in favor of the Dragons. Monmouth closed the gap a little with 1:22 remaining after freshman Elizabeth Kudirka layup, which Montas followed up with a free throw after the Hawks earned a few key stops on defense.
Jimenez led the Hawks with 10 points, while McElroy and Randolph each had eight points. Ferdinand and Randolph hat six boards apiece to lead Monmouth.
Marginean had 22 points, including four three pointers to go along with six rebounds in the game. Rosseel chipped in nine for Drexel.
The Dragons were efficient in the first half from the floor, finishing the day shooting 41 percent, compared to MU’s 30.8 shooting percentage. Monmouth held a 39-28 advantage on the glass but converted just 13 of 20 free throws.
The Hawks are back in action on Dec. 21, when they face Iona in New Rochelle, New York at 2 p.m.