Basketball split their owning weekend games, first beating Bucknell in their season opener at the OceanFirst Bank Center on Friday, then losing to #23 ranked Seton Hall at the Prudential Center on Sunday, 75-65.
“Tonight I felt like our kids really stuck together,” Head Coach King Rice said after the win against Bucknell. “I was probably as nervous as I was at my first game at Monmouth tonight, because we have a lot of new kids and kids in new positions.”
After a Monmouth timeout with 24 seconds left in the game while being down 78-77 to Bucknell, junior guard Micah Seaborn was fouled with five seconds left in the game and hit two crucial free throws to take the lead. Bucknell would attempt a game-winning buzzer beater, would would miss off the backboard to seal the opening night win for the Hawks.
In the first half, Monmouth and Bucknell would trade shots until late in the half. The Hawks would finish the half on an 18-10 run to give MU the 41-31 lead at half time.
Bucknell would close the deficient in the second half thanks to the three ball, hitting a total of nine threes to give them the momentum.
Junior forward Diago Quinn helped swing the momentum back in Monmouth’s favor, getting a big block and then hitting two free throws before the final media timeout. Quinn would then get an offensive rebound and would be fouled immediately, hitting another two free throws to make it 71-69 MU.
Bucknell and Monmouth would keep trading baskets and free throws until Bucknell took the lead with 25 seconds left. Seaborn would then hit the game-tying and game-winning free throws to give the Hawks the opening night victory.
For the game, Seaborn led the way with 21 points and ten rebounds for the Hawks. Quinn had 16 points and seven rebounds. Freshman guard Deion Hammond had 13 points in his colligate debut.
On Sunday, the Hawks were defeated by #23 ranked Seton Hall 75-65 for the first time in the early season.
“I am more than happy with my team. We fought, we tried hard,” Rice said. “We got lumped up by a bigger group and then we fought back.”
The blue and white kept the game close for the first ten minutes, MU leading 16-15 before Seton Hall came back to take the lead after two free throws and wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game. Seton Hall’s lead would be as high 20 points in the middle of the second half.
Monmouth would bring the game to within ten points in the final minute. MU’s defense would not allow Seton Hall to score for the final three minutes, going on a 9-0 run to finish the game.
For the Hawks, they had more than half their points scored from freshmen (33), Hammond leading the way with 17 points.
“Deion [Hammond] has played good offensively and he’s done good things defensively,” Seaborn said. “All our freshmen have. George Papas comes out in the game and hits a three. Our freshmen are really locked in.”
Monmouth (1-1) will next take on Virginia in another National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Tip-Off game on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 1:00 p.m. at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville.
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth Athletics
