The Monmouth College men’s basketball team clinched a spot in the Midwest Conference Tournament with a 84-73 win over Knox on Tuesday. The Fighting Scots (17-5, 11-2) have won seven straight games and are off to their best start in 35 years.
Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) scored early and Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) added a layup. Brown hit a 3-pointer for a 7-2 lead. Brown scored again before Knox tied the game at 10 Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) made two free throws off a Knox technical and Cam Thomas (Arlington, Texas) hit a 3-pointer for a 15-11 lead. Brown scored on a put back but Knox pulled within one again .Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) hit a corner 3-pointer and Thomas scored on a layup. Thomas made six free throws over the next three possessions to give the Scots a 28-23 lead.
Brown beat a triple-team for a layup, Thomas scored and Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer for a 35-29 lead. Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) buried a corner 3-pointer for a 9-point lead then added a steal and layup. Brown scored four straight after a Knox timeout for a 12-0 lead and a 44-29 lead. After Knox scored, Brown blocked a shot and made two free throws. Taylor also hit a pair of free throws with 1:42 left in the half for a 48-34 lead. Huber connected on another layup but Knox finished the half on a 5-0 run for a 50-39 game.
Knox started the second half with a 3-pointer before Thomas scored on a fast break. Brown hit a pair of free throws before Knox cut the lead to 10. Brown drove through a double team for a layup but Knox hit four straight free throws. Brown made it 61-50 with a pair of free throws. Flynn scored in the lane.
Greenman made two free throws for a 65-54 lead and Taylor hit two more. Brennen McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois) converted a 3-point play and Brown scored at the rim. Flynn made two free throws and McNally hit a jumper for a 78-62 lead. Thomas added two free throws with under three minutes left to put the Scots up 16. After Knox had a 3-point possession, Thomas made a free throw and Brown hit one with 1:45 to play for an 82-67 lead. Brown scored again in the final minute to finish off the 84-73 win.
Brown led the way with a career-high 31 points and a career-best five blocks while also adding a team-leading nine rebounds. Thomas scored 19 points and grabbed five boards while Huber had eight rebounds, four steals and seven points. Taylor dished out six assists and Maring added three blocks.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown has 19 double-digit scoring games, including seven straight … He has scored at least 20 points in eight games … His 31 points are the most by a Monmouth player since Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) scored 34 against Aurora in double overtime on Dec. 30, 2023 … Thomas has scored in double digits 14 times this season including seven games in a row … Brown and Thomas both made 10 free throws to tie Taylor for the most by a Monmouth player this season … The Scots were 33-for-40 at the free throw line and out-rebounded Knox 49-28 … Taylor recorded his 200th career assist … Huber made his first start of the season and 10th of his career … The 17-5 mark is the best record after 22 games since the 1989-90 team ended the season 20-2 on a 20-game win streak … The Scots last won seven straight games in the 2019-20 season … Coach Skrivseth has 149 career wins … At 11-2, the Scots are in first place with Grinnell in second at 10-4 … Monmouth and Knox have met 231 times, 10th most played rivalry in D3 … Monmouth leads the series 138-93 with six straight wins … Coach Skrivseth is 20-6 against Knox, the most wins he has against any program Skrivseth’s teams are 11-2 at home against Knox … The seniors went 6-2 against Knox, 3-1 in both locationsMonmouth made the MWC Tournament in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2022 … The Scots are at Ripon on Saturday and back home on Wednesday against Cornell.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
