The Monmouth College men’s basketball team shut down the system in the second half and knocked off Grinnell 104-91 on Wednesday night. The Scots (11-6, 5-3) put five players in double digits and held the Pioneers to 4-of-22 shooting from 3-point range in the second half.
Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) scored the first bucket of the game and then scored again for a 6-2 lead. The teams traded buckets with Grinnell posting a 13-9 lead before Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) made two free throws. Flynn followed with a 3-pointer and Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) put the Scots up 16-15. After Grinnell regained the lead, Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) made two free throws for a 21-20 lead and Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) put the Scots back on top 24-23 with free throws.
David Williams (Loves Park, Illinois) scored four points during a 6-2 run and added a 3-pointer for a 37-32 lead. Plumer scored for a 41-34 lead before the Pioneers went on an 11-0 run to lead by four. Williams scored and Hill hit a 3-pointer for a 46-45 Monmouth lead. Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) made a free throw and Grinnell scored to tie the game 47-47 at halftime.
Plumer and Flynn combined for the first six points of the second half and Hill hit a 3-pointer for a 56-47 Monmouth lead. Plumer added a bucket after a Grinnell turnover and Williams made it 60-47 with a layup. The Pioneers went on an 11-2 run to trim the lead to four before Hill hit a 3-pointer. Williams pushed the lead back to 10 before the visitors went on another run to cut the lead to 72-71. Flynn made a pair of free throws and Greenman scored down low.
Monmouth steadily pulled away over the next three minutes with Plumer scoring four straight and Maring netted two baskets for an 84-76 lead. Williams scored and Maring made it 88-76 with just under five minutes to play. Flynn pushed the lead to 13 before a Grinnell 3-pointer. Taylor made two free throws with 1:21 left for a 96-84 lead and Williams nailed free throws after a Grinnell miss. Plumer got the Scots to the century mark with a thunderous dunk for a 100-86 lead. Williams and Taylor each made a pair of free throws for the final four points and a 104-91 win.
Williams led the Scots with a season-high 24 points while Flynn had 23. Plumer (18), Hill (13) and Maring (10) were also in double figures. Williams also led the Scots with 10 rebounds, one more than Plumer. HIll had six assists while Plumer had three blocks.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Hill has scored at least 10 points in 11 games this season. Williams has four games in double figures while Flynn has seven. Plumer has eight games in double figures and Maring has four. Williams also had a double-double against Concordia on Nov. 14Flynn was 9-for-11 from the fieldMonmouth had 21 assists on 35 made field goals. The Scots outrebounded the Pioneers 42-38Monmouth was 28-for-36 at the free throw line with Williams going 10-for-13. University of Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder was in attendance to watch her son David who is a junior for the Pioneers. The teams split two games last year with the road team winning both games, Grinnell prevailing 119-109 in Glennie Gym. The winner has topped 100 points in 39 of the last 51 meetings. Monmouth leads the all-time series 89-65. Coach Todd Skrivseth is 12-12 against Grinnell, 6-6 at home. The teams play again in Iowa on Saturday, Feb 17. The Fighting Scots next play at Lawrence on Saturday with a 1 p.m. tip.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
