The Monmouth College men’s basketball team led by 15 in the second half but eventually fell in overtime 83-75 to Ripon College on Saturday in the home finale. The Scots (13-10, 7-7) and Ripon are now tied for the fourth and final MWC Tournament spot and Monmouth will need some help over the last week of the regular season.
Monmouth started five seniors and Damarian Stark (Roscoe, Illinois) took advantage by scoring the first four points of the game. Ripon hit two straight 3-pointers to lead 6-4 before Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) tied the game. Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) hit two free throws for an 8-6 lead but Ripon scored the next six points. Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) and Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) both hit 3-pointers as the teams traded buckets. Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) put the Scots up 18-17 with a basket in the lane.
Hill scored and Maring hit a 3-pointer to give the Scots a 23-17 lead. After Ripon scored, Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) made a layup and Hill knocked down a jumper for an 8-point lead. Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) made two free throws and Hill’s layup gave the Scots a 31-19 lead. Plumer scored the final basket of the half for a 33-22 Monmouth lead.
Plumer and Hill started the second half with baskets before Ripon went on a 4-0 run and eventually cut the Monmouth lead to 39-33. Williams made a layup before Ripon hit another 3-pointer to pull within five. Hill knocked down a 3-pointer and Williams made a layup but the Red Hawks trimmed the lead three with 10 minutes to play. Ripon went on a 6-2 run to lead 49-48. Ripon led by four when Plumer converted on a 3-point play. The teams traded baskets and Ripon split free throws for a 55-53 lead with 4:31 to play.
Plumer scored at the rim to tie the game with 3:35 to play. Maring knocked down a pair of free throws after a Taylor steal. Ripon tied the game with a layup and after a Monmouth miss, the Red Hawks took a 59-57 lead on two free throws. Monmouth called timeout down three with 1:23 to play.and Maring made a layup. Ripon made two free throws and the Scots turned the ball over again with 41 seconds left. Trailing 63-59, Plumer got an offensive rebound, scored and got fouled. However, he missed the free throw and fouled out going for the rebound with Ripon making both free throws. Huber drew a foul with 11.9 seconds left and split the free throws. Ripon missed both free throws and Taylor tied the game on a 3-point with 0.8 seconds left.
In overtime, Ripon scored four quick points to lead 69-65 before the Scots turned it over. After a shot clock violation by the Red Hawks, Taylor made two free throws but Ripon got a 3-point play and a 3-pointer to lead by eight. Hill made two free throws but the Red Hawks made two as well. Hill had a layup but Ripon finished the game with a dunk for the 83-75 win.
Hill led the way with 21 points while Plumer had 19 before fouling out, Maring was also in double digits with 11 points. Williams led Monmouth with eight rebounds while Taylor had three assists and Plumer had three steals.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Hill has scored in double figures 16 times this season, nine times in MWC action. Plumer has scored in double figures 13 times, including nine MWC games. Both have tallied double figures in five straight games. Monmouth was just 5-for-24 from 3-point range. The Scots made 16-of-20 free throws. Ripon won the rebound battle 39-38 and they also forced 22 Monmouth turnovers to go +8 in that category. The Scots won 60-59 at Ripon last month and have won three straight in the series. Monmouth is 5-5 in the last 10 games against Ripon. Ripon leads the all-time series 76-65. Williams, Yuvraj Sidhu (Coppell, Texas), Oscar Alcobendas (Seville, Spain), Ryan Adolphson (Avon, Illinois), Tyler Harms (Flanagan, Illinois) and Stark were honored in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony. The Scots play their final two regular season games on the road in Iowa next week. Monmouth plays at Cornell on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and at Grinnell on Saturday at 1 p.m.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
