Men
MONMOUTH, IL – Monmouth held off a hard-charging Illinois College squad to post a 73-70 win in the Midwest Conference opener for both teams.
The Scots came back from a nine-point first half deficit to take a 36-34 halftime lead. Tied at 32-all with 1:51 left in the first 20 minutes, D.J. Swift drained a three for a 35-32 lead before Will Carius added a free throw with 38 seconds left. IC scored on a fast break in the final seconds to trail by two.
The Blueboys took a brief second half lead at the 15:10 mark before Dee Hyler’s fast break bucket sparked the Scots’ 9-2 run for a 54-47 lead. IC charged again, pulling within one at 68-67 with 42 seconds left, but the Scots answered the challenge when Tyler Houston scored inside, followed by Carius and Hyler three free throws in the final seconds.
Carius finished with a game high 38 points and 15 rebounds while Hyler added a dozen points.
Monmouth travels to Lake Forest next Wednesday.
Women
Monmouth came up short in a game of streaks, falling 76-64 to Illinois College in the Midwest Conference opener.
The Scots scored the first five points in the game, but the Lady Blues countered and gradually built a 25-17 first quarter lead. Monmouth rallied in the second period, cutting the margin to six at 34-28 on Carley Turnbull’s jumper with 2:03 left in the half. IC pushed back to take a 39-28 lead into the locker room.
Becca Gallis hit a jumper and a 3-pointer in the first two minutes of the second half as Monmouth scored the first six points and nine of the first 11 in the third quarter. Kaitlyn Osmulski’s 3-pointer at the 6:13 mark pulled Monmouth within one at 41-40 before IC began to inch away down the stretch. The Lady Blues maintained a double digit lead throughout the final frame to offset a 22-point night by Gallis and a 17-point effort by Carley Turnbull.
Monmouth continues MWC play at Lake Forest on Dec. 11 with a 7:30 p.m. tip.
