Monmouth Men’s Basketball earned massive victories over Drexel and Towson last week to improve to 8-5 in CAA play and take sole possession of third place in the conference.
The team was led by senior forward Kavion McClain, who scored a combined 37 points between the two games as he continues to ramp up action following his return to the team.
The game against Drexel on Thursday, Feb. 12 was dominated by the Hawks from start to finish. With 16:21 remaining in the first half, senior guard Jack Collins hit a three-point basket to put Monmouth up 8-5. From that point forward, Monmouth never trailed in the game. From Collins’s shot to the 1:54 mark of the first half, Monmouth outscored Drexel 35-12. That span included a scoring drought that lasted over seven minutes for the Dragons. At halftime, Monmouth controlled the game with a 45-22 lead.
Although Drexel did score 51 points in the second half, they never really got close to coming back. The closest the margin was after halftime was 15 points. Monmouth scored 48 points in the second half to keep control of the game and hold on for a 93-73 victory.
McClain scored 20 points in this game, hitting three, three-pointers. Junior forward Cornelius Robinson III had his best game of the season, scoring 20 points of his own in 32 minutes. Junior forward Jason Rivera-Torres followed right behind them with 18 points. The fourth and final player to score in double digits was junior guard Andrew Ball, who scored 12 points off the bench.
On Sunday night, the Hawks returned home to host Towson in a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network. This game was a lot tighter than the Drexel game, as no team led by more than 10 points. In fact, Towson had the lead for the majority of the game. With 1:58 remaining, Towson led 69-64 and seemed to be in control of the game. Sophomore guard Justin Ray hit a driving layup and got the foul call to cut the lead to 69-67 after he made his free throw attempt. Towson attempted a three to get their lead back to five, but it missed and McClain scored a 14-foot pullup jump shot with 57 seconds left to tie the game at 69. Towson responded with a layup to take a 71-69 lead, and after a timeout by the Tigers, Ray banked in a 23-foot three point basket with 27 seconds left to give Monmouth a 72-71 lead and their first lead since there were 11 minutes left in the second half. Towson’s final possessions came up short, and the Hawks held on for a massive 72-71 victory.
Five players scored in double digits for the Hawks in this game. McClain scored 17, Ray had 15, Rivera-Torres had 10, Ball had 10 off the bench, and freshman forward Stefanos Spartalis had 10 points of his own. Rivera-Torres also added 13 rebounds, the most he’s had in a game since all season.
As of Wednesday, Feb. 18, Monmouth sits in sole possession of third place in the CAA. They are one game ahead of both Stony Brook and Hofstra in the loss column, and have two game cushions over Drexel, William & Mary, Campbell, and Hampton. If Monmouth finishes top four in the CAA standings, they will get a double-bye to the quarterfinals in the CAA Tournament.
This week, Monmouth will face its toughest test of the season yet. They are 3-0 since McClain returned to the team, but they have to travel south to the Carolinas to face the two best teams in the CAA.
On Thursday, they will face UNC Wilmington, who is 22-4 overall and only has two losses, both of which came to William & Mary, in conference play. The Hawks will face a familiar face in this game, as senior guard Madison Durr plays for the Seahawks after playing for Monmouth last year. Durr is averaging 10.3 points per game for UNC Wilmington.
After facing the best team in the CAA, they will play the team that is second in the CAA standings on Saturday, the College of Charleston. Charleston is 17-10 overall and 10-4 in CAA play. The Hawks will be looking to avenge a devastating loss in the CAA quarterfinals to the Cougars last season. Both games are crucial for the Hawks, as they look to solidify themselves as a serious threat in the CAA for the rest of the way.
