The Monmouth College men’s basketball team led nearly wire to wire on the road Tuesday night, defeating Eureka 90-72. The Fighting Scots (1-1) had five players in double figures and scored 40 points in the paint in the first road game of the season.
Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) started the scoring with a 3-pointer and added two free throws,. Cam Thomas (Arlington, Texas) and Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) also scored as Eureka led 12-9. Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) tied the game with a 3-pointer and Thomas put the Scots on top 16-14. Jay Brown (Lansing, Illinois) scored in the paint and Jase Whiteman (Andalusia, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer for his first Monmouth bucket. Whiteman hit another 3-pointer and Kamran Banks (Springfield, Illinois) scored the next four points for the Scots. Thomas hit a 3-pointer for a 31-18 lead. Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) scored four points in a row and Thomas hit another 3-pointer for a 41-25 lead. Taylor scored Monmouth’s final four points of the half for a 45-28 lead.
Zay Brown, Thomas and Maring each had baskets early in the second half as the lead grew to 20 on a 3-pointer by Taylor. Banks and Zay Brown hit free throws and Banks added a field goal for a 66-49 lead. Maring scored in the paint and Banks netted four straight points. Maring had a 3-point play and a block to restore the lead to 19. Taylor made it 81-61 with a free throw and Whiteman scored on a jumper. Payton Crims (Alsip, Illinois) scored four straight points for an 88-70 lead and Banks scored the final two points on free throws.
Thomas and Taylor both had 16 points to lead the way while Banks had 14 points. Brown and Maring both had 13 points to put five in double figures. Brown had 16 rebounds while Huber added 13. Huber and Taylor both had four assists, Maring and Huber had two blocks and Banks had two steals.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots scored 45 points in both halvesMonmouth had 40 points in the paint and 23 second-chance pointsAfter having no points off the bench in the opener, the Scots had 29 bench points on TuesdayHuber had a career-high 13 rebounds and two blocksBanks had a career-high 14 pointsJay Brown scored a career-high three pointsCrims scored his first college pointsWhiteman finished with eight, his first points at MonmouthMonmouth outrebounded Eureka 59-31 with 30 offensive rebounds on 46 missed shotsThe Scots made 20 free throwsBrown scored in double figures 23 times last season and has a streak of 13 straight games in double figuresMonmouth has won four straight in the series and leads all-time 34-12The Scots play at Rockford on SaturdayThe next home game is Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. against Eureka.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
