The Monmouth College men’s basketball team returned home to beat Ripon (2-12, 2-3) 81-75 on Wednesday. The Fighting Scots (10-5, 5-0) moved into sole possession of first place in the Midwest Conference with five players scoring in double digits.
Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) scored a minute into the game to tie things up and Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) made it 4-2. Brown scored again and then made two free throws, as did Maring. Brown hit two more free throws for a 12-8 lead before the Red Hawks converted a 4-point play to tie the game. Maring hit a baseline jumper but Ripon scored six in a row to lead 18-14, Jase Whiteman (Andalusia, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer and Maring made two more free throws. Kamran Banks (Springfield, Illinois) scored on a putback and Whiteman hit another 3-pointer for a 24-22 Scots lead. Whiteman hit two free throws before Ripon tied the game at 26.
Back from a knee injury, senior Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) hit two free throws for his first points in 368 days. Payton Crims (Alsip, Illinois) scored on an athletic layup and Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) hit a floater for a 32-26 lead. Ripon scored the next five before a Crims layup put Monmouth up three. Ripon regained the lead with two field goals before Plumer scored down low. The Red Hawks scored again to lead 37-36 at halftime.
Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) scored to start the second half and Maring added a free throw for a 39-37 lead. Maring and Cameron Thomas (Arlington, Texas) hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Ripon called timeout with the Scots leading by eight. Ripon finally scored but Thomas hit a 3-pointer and Taylor made two free throws off a technical foul for a 50-40 lead. Taylor hit a 3-pointer for a 55-45 lead before a Ripon 3-point play. Brown scored four points in a row and Thomas hit a 3-pointer to answer a Red Hawks three. The visitors cut the lead to 66-62 with a 6-0 run before Maring scored in the post with 2:40 to play. Whiteman put the Scots up 70-62 with a floater but the Red Hawks hit a 3-pointer with 1:39 to play. Taylor hit a jumper and added two free throws before Ripon hit a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left. The Red Hawks scored again and Taylor and Huber hit their free throws for a 78-72 lead. The Red Hawks hit another desperation 3-pointer but three free throws by Thomas finished off the 81-75 win.
Brown led the way with 15 points while Maring, Taylor and Thomas all scored 14 and Whiteman added 10. Brown grabbed a team-best eight rebounds and Thomas added five. Taylor delivered six assists and Banks provided two. Thomas blocked three shots and Taylor had two steals.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown has scored in double digits in every game he has played this season and in 24 straight games dating back to last season … That is the sixth-longest double-digit scoring streak in Monmouth history … Thomas has scored at least 11 points in eight straight games and he has 12 double digit games this season … Maring has scored in double digits 10 times this season … Taylor has scored in double figures 10 times this season and 48 times in his career … Taylor played in his 91st career game, tied with five others for the seventh most games played in Monmouth history … Taylor was 7-for-8 at the line and he tied Will Carius for eighth in Monmouth history with 243 made free throws and he is also the ninth player in MC history with at least 300 attempts … Taylor is now alone in third with 129 career steals … Whiteman scored a career-high 10 points … The senior class is the first since 1995 to win at least 10 games in four straight years and a total of 57 games in four years … The 57 wins is tied for 18th amongst all senior classes in MC historyMonmouth is 65-74 all-time against Ripon with a 14-12 mark under coach Skrivseth … The Scots won both games last year, including an overtime win at home, and they have won five of the last six meetings … The teams play in Wisconsin on Saturday, Feb. 7 … Monmouth is at Beloit on Saturday at 1 p.m … The next home game is on Tuesday against Grinnell at 5:30 p.m.
The Monmouth College women’s basketball team lost to No. 21 Ripon (12-2, 5-0) 76-40 at home on Wednesday.. The Fighting Scots (4-10, 0-5) travel to Beloit on Saturday before hosting Grinnell next week.
The first quarter was a struggle for both offenses with a combined two made field goals in the first six minutes. Kiersten Cox (Illinois City, Illinois) scored for Monmouth and Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) made two free throws before Ripon made two shots to lead 9-4. Hannah Peel (Gladwin, Michigan) made two free throws but the Red Hawks scored six straight to lead 15-6 after one quarter.
Tiah Riggs (Vincennes, Indiana) scored early in the second quarter and Jamaica Walker (Mobile, Alabama) made a layup. Brooklyn Sellers (Freeport, Illinois) split free throws before Ripon went on a run to lead 25-11 with 4:04 to play in the half. Ripon pushed the lead to 19 before Ava Borchardt (Harvard, Illinois) and Walker scored on consecutive possessions. Ripon answered to lead 33-15 at halftime.
Ripon started the third quarter with two buckets before Riggs made a free throw. Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) made a layup but the visitors hit a pair of 3-pointers to lead 43-18 with 6:53 left in the quarter. Walker scored on a putback but Ripon hit two more shots from distance to lead 53-20. Walker scored in the paint but Ripon extended the lead to 60-22. Ripon emptied their bench before Stearns made a layup and Hoy hit a 3-pointer to end the quarter with Ripon up 34.
Rangel started the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and Hoy made two free throws. Ripon scored four in a row to lead 68-32 and Riggs got a bucket in the paint. The Red Hawks scored the next eight to lead by 40 before Walker scored with 2:20 to play. Riggs scored twice in the final minute for the 76-40 final score
Walker led the Scots with 10 points while Riggs had nine and Hoy scored seven. Cox grabbed eight rebounds and Riggs had three steals while Hoy had two assists and two steals.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Walker scored in double digits for the second time this season … Hoy made her 89th consecutive appearance and is now tied for 21st in games played in Monmouth history … Stearns moved into 16th in 3-pointers attempted in Monmouth historyNine different Monmouth players scored … Ripon leads the all-time series 40-21 and they have won nine in a row, all by at least 13 points … Ripon is 13-2 in the last 15 matchups with Monmouth winning two straight in February of 2020 … The teams play in Wisconsin on Saturday, Feb. 7 … Monmouth is at Beloit on Saturday … The next home game is on Tuesday against Grinnell.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
