Picked fifth in the preseason coaches poll, the Monmouth College men's basketball team clinched at least a share of their 11th conference title with a 78-73 win at Ripon on Feb. 15. The Fighting Scots (18-5, 12-2) have won eight games in a row and can lock up the #1 seed and hosting privileges with a win at home on Wednesday against Cornell or Saturday against Grinnell. The Scots last claimed a regular-season title in 2017-18 while also winning the tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
"I am so happy for these guys to get a conference championship," said head coach Todd Skrivseth. "They have worked extremely hard and keep getting better. Our seniors group finished last their freshman year so for them to claim a MWC championship as seniors is awesome."
Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) got the Scots on the board with a layup. Cam Thomas (Arlington, Texas) put the Scots up 3-2 with a free throw before Ripon scored seven straight points. Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) ended the run with a layup and Thomas hit a 3-pointer. Down 13-8, Taylor hit a 3-pointer but Ripon scored four straight points until Brown scored with 12:40 to play in the half. Brown scored again and Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) cut the Ripon lead back to six with a layup.
Neither team scored for the next two minutes and Thomas cut the deficit to four with a pair of free throws. After Ripon scored, Brennen McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois) converted a 3-point play and Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) scored to pull Monmouth within one. Taylor tied the game at 27 with a 3-pointer and hit another one for a 30-29 lead. Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) added a layup and Brown made two free throws for a 34-31 lead. Ripon scored and Brown answered with 90 seconds left in the half. Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) scored on Monmouth's final possession but Ripon scored at the buzzer to cut the Scots lead to 38-37.
Ripon regained the lead to start the second half before Flynn scored. Taylor and Flynn both hit 3-pointers for a 46-43 lead and Flynn hit another one after Ripon scored. Taylor and Maring both made free throws after Ripon buckets. The Red Hawks took the lead but Maring hit a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound by McNally. Brown scored the next four points and the Scots never trailed again. Taylor and Brown both scored for a 65-61 lead and Flynn buried another 3-pointer with 4:29 to play.
Ripon scored the next six, closing the gap to two before Taylor hit a 3-pointer with 3:05 left. Taylor added two free throws and McNally answered a Ripon score. The hosts again pulled within two with 31 seconds left but Taylor made a free throw and McNally stole the ball with five seconds to play. He made both free throws and the Scots ran out the clock for a 78-73 win,
"We have a great role acceptance on this team and know who we are and what allows us to be successful," said Skrivseth. "We also understand the job isn't done and we look forward to the home games next week against Cornell and Grinnell."
Taylor set a new season-high and tied his career high with 24 points. Brown scored 17 points and Flynn added 13. Brown led the Scots with eight rebounds while he, Thomas and Taylor all had three assists. Brown and Thomas both blocked two shots and Brown and McNally had two steals each.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown has 20 double-digit scoring games, including eight straight ... Brown moved into 18th on the single-season rebounds list with 194 ... Taylor has scored in double digits 12 times this season ... He also scored 24 points against Beloit on Dec. 2, 2023 ... He set a new season-high with five made 3-pointers, one off his career best ... Flynn and Taylor combined to make eight 3-pointers and the Scots were 10-for-20 as a team ... Taylor moved into a tie with Will Jones (2015) for seventh on the single-season steals list with 39 ... Greenman moved into a tie for fourth on the career games played list with 94 ... Monmouth won regular season conference titles in 1909-10, 1921-22, 1937-38, 1941-42, 1956-57, 1973-74, 1984-85, 1987-88, 1989-90 and 2017-18 ... The 18-5 mark is the best record after 23 games since the 1989-90 team ended the season 20-3 ... The Scots last won eight straight games in the 2017-18 season when they won nine in a row ... Coach Skrivseth has 150 career wins ... He joins Terry Glasgow and Bobby Woll as the only Monmouth coaches with at least 150 wins ... Woll won 182 games from 1936-50 and 1951-54 ... Glasgow holds the Monmouth record with 469 wins from 1972-2007 ... Ripon leads the all-time series 74-64 ... Coach Skrivseth is 13-12 against Ripon, 6-6 on the road ... Monmouth won at home in OT on Jan. 11 ... The teams split last season with the road team winning both games ...
Comentários