The Monmouth College men’s basketball team put all five starters in double figures and move into a first-place tie with a 102-99 win at Grinnell on Wednesday. The Fighting Scots (12-5, 6-2) shot 56% in the win and held the Pioneers system to under 28% shooting from 3-point range.
Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) scored Monmouth’s first six points and Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) scored the next four. Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) made a 3-pointer for a 13-6 lead. After buckets by Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois), Brennen McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois) and Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois), Hill hit another 3-pointer for a 22-11 lead. Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) pushed the lead to 12 with a free throw before Grinnell went on a run. Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) hit a pair of free throws for a 30-22 lead and the lead stayed between six and nine until Huber hit a 3-pointer for a 42-30 lead. The Pioneers pulled within five but Brown scored to end the half with the Scots up 50-43.
Hill scored early in the second half to push the lead back to 10. Grinnell went on a 15-4 run to lead 61-60 before the teams traded baskets. Grinnell’s largest lead came at 70-64 before Brown scored and Huber hit a pair of free throws. Greenman tied the game at 72 and McNally put the Scots on top with a bucket with 9:43 to play.
Monmouth slowly added to the lead and went up by six on a bucket from Brown. Grinnell cut it back to two but Brown scored again with 5:30 to play and Flynn added a free throw. The Pioneers eventually tied the game at 90 with 3;30 to go and Hill answered with a bucket in the lane. Leading by one, Hill hit a 3-pointer for a 96-92 lead and Greenman added two free throws with 45 seconds left. After the hosts scored, Taylor mae two free throws for a 100-95 lead with 11 seconds to play. Grinnell scored quickly and Taylor made two more free throws with five seconds left. The Pioneers scored at.the buzzer for the 102-99 final.
Brown led the Scots with 23 points while Flynn had 21. Hill (17), Taylor (12) and Greenman (10) were also in double figures. Greenman led the Scots with 14 rebounds while Brown had 11. Brown had six assists, one more than Greenman.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown has 14 double-digit scoring games an four double-doubles … Flynn has seven double-digit scoring game of the season, including four in a row … He has scored at least 20 points in seven career games … Flynn moved into a tie for fifth on the Monmouth career list with 91 games played … Hill has 12 double-digit scoring games and Taylor has seven … Taylor made a career-high 10 free throws in 12 attempts … Greenman had a career-high 14 rebounds and his first career double-double … The 10 points are a season high for Greenman and his third career double-digit game … He also posted.a career-high five assists … Monmouth won the rebounding battle 53-39 … Monmouth leads the all-time series 90-66 … The Scots are 13-13 against the Pioneers under coach Skrivseth with a 7-6 mark at Grinnell … The teams have split the season series the last two years and will play again in Glennie Gym on Feb. 22, the regular-season finale and Senior Day … The Scots are back at home on Saturday against Lawrence.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
