The Monmouth College men’s basketball team was held without a field goal for the final 10:42 in a 50-47 home loss to Cornell College on Tuesday night. The Fighting Scots (10-7, 6-2) remain in second place in the Midwest Conference as they embark on a three-game road trip.
Kendall Brasfield (Chicago, Illinois) started the scoring with a pair of free throws and Jordan Metcalf (Aledo, Illinois) scored the first field goal for the Scots. Brasfield’s layup put Monmouth on top 6-4 and David Williams (Loves Park, Illinois) made a sweeping hook shot. Leading by two, Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) drilled a 3-pointer after a monster block by Metcalf. Cornell scored the next five and Metcalf put the Scots on top 15-13 with a bucket.
Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) put Monmouth on top 17-15 with a bucket in the lane. After the teams traded points, Cornell hit a 3-pointer for a 20-19 lead. Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) put the Scots on top with a baseline drive and Williams drained a 3-pointer for a 24-20 Monmouth lead. After the Rams got a bucket, Brasfield hit a long 2-pointer at the first-half buzzer for a 26-22 lead.
Metcalf, who had 10 rebounds in the first half, got to 10 points as well with the first four Monmouth points of the second half. Flynn scored on a back-door cut for a 32-27 Scots lead. Metcalf scored again and Flynn drained a 3-pointer for a 37-29 lead before the Rams scored in transition. Flynn made a layup and Brasfield split free throws but the Rams tied the game at 40 with a 7-0 run. Yuvraj Sidhu (Coppell, Texas) ended the run with a basket in the lane but the Rams tied the game again.
Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) put the Scots on top 45-42 with a long 3-pointer at the 10:42 mark. Cornell scored but missed a free throw to tie the game. Neither team scored for the next two minutes and the Rams took a 46-45 lead with just under five minutes to play. Cornell pushed the lead to 48-45 as the Scots scoring drought went over 10 minutes. Cornell missed a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left but got the offensive rebound and made two free throws for a 50-45 lead. Monmouth missed 14 straight field goal attempts, marking 18 possessions without a point. Brasfield was fouled with 13.4 seconds left and ended the 10:29 scoring drought with a free throw and he converted the second as well for a 50-47 game. Cornell missed the front end of a 1-and-bonus with 10 seconds left but a game-tying 3-pointer from Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) hit the rim as time expired and the Scots fell 50-47.
Metcalf led the Scots with 12 points and 16 rebounds, his third straight double-double. Flynn had 10 points and Brasfield had nine points, with five free throws. Metcalf also had two blocks while Taylor led the team with three assists.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Monmouth lost both games to Cornell last year and have dropped six straight overall. The Scots are 6-14 against the Rams in 20 games under Coach Skrivseth. Monmouth is 4-6 at home in those games. Monmouth didn’t make a field goal over the final 10:42 with just two points scored in that span. The 47 points is their lowest output of the season, surpassing the 57 against Coe on Nov. 16. The Scots averaged 74.1 ppg on the season before Tuesday. Taylor has made at least one 3-pointer in 14 games this season. Metcalf has scored at least 10 points in 13 games this season. He also has at least five rebounds in 16 of the 17 games with seven games in double digits. Metcalf has three straight double-doubles and was named the MWC Performer of the Week on Tuesday, his second such honor of the season. The 16 rebounds are a new season high and two behind his career high of 18 from last season against Cornell. The Scots head to Appleton, Wisconsin on Saturday and play after the women’s 1 p.m. game against Lawrence.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
