The Monmouth College men’s basketball team made it four wins in a row with a 76-66 non-conference win over Blackburn at home on Sunday. The Fighting Scots (8-2) put four players in double figures while sweeping the home weekend.
Payton Crims (Alsip, Illinois) scored the first bucket of the game on a putback before Blackburn hit a pair of 3-pointers. Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) scored the next four points and Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) put the Scots up 9-6 with a 3-pointer. The Beavers hit two more shots from distance during a 12-2 run as they pushed the lead to 18-11 before Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) scored. Kam Banks (Springfield, Illinois) scored in the paint but Blackburn hit two more 3-pointers for a 24-15 lead. Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) answered with a 3-pointer and Banks scored in transition for a 5-0 Monmouth run. Blackburn answered with a pair of buckets to lead 28-20 with 5:30 left in the half.
Huber scored on a putback, got fouled and made the free throw for a 3-point play. Maring made two free throws, Brown scored on a layup and Huber’s putback gave the Scots a 29-28 lead. The Beavers hit another 3-pointer, their seventh of the half, and Taylor answered with a 3-pointer as the clock went under one minute. Blackburn scored in the lane and Taylor made two free throws for a 34-33 Monmouth lead at the break.
Blackburn started the second half on a 9-0 run as Maring picked up a technical foul. Cam Thomas (Arlington, Texas) hit a 3-pointer to end the run and Brown made a free throw. Thomas made a free throw and another 3-pointer as the Scots pulled within two. Huber made two free throws to tie the game and Thomas made a pair at the line for a 48-46 lead. Banks scored on a putback and hit a 3-pointer for a personal 5-0 run and the largest Monmouth lead of the day. Brown and Jase Whiteman (Andalusia, Illinois) answered Blackburn scores before Brown scored again for a 59-50 lead. Whiteman put the Scots up 10 with a 3-pointer and Maring scored on a putback.
Blackburn cut the Monmouth lead to five before the starters came back in and Brown hit a jumper in the lane. Brown scored again and the Scots led 68-61 with 2:15 to play. Thomas scored at the rim and Crims had a dunk on a breakaway for a 72-62 lead with 1:24 left. Blackburn scored and started to foul with Huber making two free throws. Taylor added two free throws for a 76-64 lead before the Beavers scored the last bucket of the game.
Brown posted his second straight double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Huber scored 12 points and grabbed five boards while Thomas scored 11 points and Taylor added 10. Banks had seven rebounds and two assists while Huber and Taylor both had two assists.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown had 39 points and 28 rebounds in Monmouth’s two weekend wins … Brown has scored in double digits in every game he has played this season … Thomas has scored at least 11 points in four straight games … With 125 career steals, Taylor moved into a tie with Marion Brown for fourth in Monmouth history … He also passed Steve Glasgow for fifth on the career assists list with 262 … Monmouth was 17-for-20 at the free throw line and committed just eight turnovers on the day … The Scots scored 38 points in the paint and 18 second chance points … The Scots are 6-1 against Blackburn under coach Skrivseth with four straight wins … The Scots are home on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Loras.
The Monmouth College women’s basketball team rallied from 13 points down to beat Dominican 71-59 on Sunday. The Fighting Scots (3-6) didn’t allow a field goal for nearly 14 minutes in the second half while completing the comeback.
Dominican scored first before Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) hit a corner 3-pointer The Stars went back on top and Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) tied the game with a jumper. Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer for an 8-7 lead. Jamaica Walker (Mobile, Alabama) and Ava Pelaez (Aurora, Colorado) scored for the Scots, tying the game at 12. Stearns scored on a layup as did Walker for a 16-14 Monmouth lead.
Walker scored the first bucket of the second quarter and Dominican led 21-19 when Stearns made a jumper. The Stars scored the next seven points before Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) scored and Stearns made a free throw. Kiersten Cox (Illinois City, Illinois) pulled the Scots within four on two occasions, Goodrich made two free throws with 0.3 on the clock for a 32-30 Stars lead.
Dominican scored first in the second half and started with a 6-0 run to lead 38-30. Goodrich made two free throws but the Stars pushed the lead up to 44-32. Goodrich converted a 3-point play but the Stars scored the next four points to lead by 13. Pelaez scored five in a row, Goodrich made a free throw and Rangel hit a 3-pointer for a 50-46 game. Dominican missed five straight free throws and Tiah Riggs (Vincennes, Indiana) scored in the post. The Stars missed two more free throws and Riggs scored again to tie the game. Rangel hit a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 54-51 lead after three quarters.
The Stars stopped their streak of seven straight missed free throws with a pair to start the fourth quarter. They made another free throw to tie the game and two more for a 56-54 lead. Goodrich tied the game and Cox put the Scots on top with a bucket. Pelaez scored and Riggs made a free throw for a 63-56 lead. Stearns made two free throws as did Goodrich as the Stars continued to miss shots. Riggs made it 69-57 with a layup before Dominican made their first shot of the quarter with 1:20 left to play. Up 10, Stearns made two more free throws with 35 seconds left and the Scots held on to win 71-59.
Goodrich led the Scots with 19 points and 13 rebounds while Stearns added 12 points. Goodrich also led the team with four steals and three blocks.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Monmouth was 16-for-22 at the free throw line while Dominican was 11-for-24 … Goodrich posted a career high in rebounds and blocks … Rangel made two 3-pointers to move into a tie for 18th on the Monmouth career list … She is tied with Katie Houston, Chris Hickey and Zoie Wall with 59 makes … She also moved into 12th with 228 3-point attempts … The Scots are 5-1 all-time against Dominican with four straight wins dating back to a loss in the 2009-10 season … The Monmouth seniors are 4-0 against the Stars … The teams will play again in River Forest on Dec. 30 … The Scots are home on Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Benedictine.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
