Monmouth University men’s basketball team will live in the Big East for a few days. In-state rival Rutgers University and Villanova will be at Monmouth’s Multipurpose Activity Center (MAC) this week.
Rutgers stops by the West Long Branch campus on Saturday for a 7 p.m. tip-off, and nationally ranked Villanova makes a call at the MAC on Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.
The visits of the Big East teams will give the Monmouth program national exposure.
The Hawks picked up a much-needed win at home on Saturday (Dec. 11) when they defeated Hartford, 78-74, in double overtime.
Junior forward Gary Cox scored a careerhigh 23 points to pace the 4-5 Hawks, who overcame a 17-point deficit.
Senior center Phil Wait collected his first career double-double, pulling down 16 rebounds to go with his 11 points.
It was a big night for career bests as senior guard James Hett distributed a career-high 10 assists.
Cox was 5-7 from beyond the arc and 8- 10 from the field all together. Head coach Dave Calloway pointed out that Cox took advantage of an opportunity he was given (he played career-high 30 minutes).
Calloway said getting the win was important, and that his team still needed to focus on playing a full 40-minute game. They will need that focus against Rutgers and Villanova.
Under first-year coach Mike Rice, Rutgers is off to a nice 6-2 start. The Scarlet Knights beat Auburn on Saturday, 63-54, in the SEC/Big East Invitational.
Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats are 8-1 and ranked No. 12 in the country.
After their back-to-back Big East games, the Hawks will go to Cambridge, Mass., to take on the Ivy League’s Harvard on Dec. 29 in the final game of 2010.
The Hawks begin the new year by starting Northeast Conference play with a three-game home stand. They host Bryant on Jan. 3, Quinnipiac on Jan. 6 and Sacred Heart on Jan. 8. All games tip off at 7 p.m. at the MAC.