The Monmouth College men’s basketball team bounced back from a midweek loss by winning at Ripon on Saturday 79-66. The Fighting Scots (17-5, 12-1) put four starters in double figures, including Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) who set a school record with his 32nd straight game of scoring at least 10 points.
“I’m very happy with today and the way we played as a team,” said head coach Todd Skrivseth. “We did a nice job defensively and on the glass. It was good to get back on track after the Grinnell game and we look forward to playing in Glennie the next two games.”
Down 5-0, Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) hit a jumper before the Red Hawks hit a 3-pointer. Brown and Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) both scored and Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) pulled the Scots within one. Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) put the Scots on top 14-13 before a basket by Cameron Thomas (Arlington, Texas) and a 3-pointer by Jase Whiteman (Andalusia, Illinois) made it 19-13. Ripon tied the game but Brown hit a 3-pointer and free throws from Kamran Banks (Springfield, Illinois) and Thomas put the Scots back up by four. Maring knocked down a 3-pointer, as did Huber, and free throws from Taylor made it 36-26. Thomas and Huber both scored before halftime with Monmouth taking a 40-31 lead into the locker room.
Brown scored Monmouth’s first five points of the second half but Ripon used a 11-5 run to pull within three. Maring, Brown and Thomas each scored to push the lead back to 10 but a 9-0 run by the hosts made it 54-53 with 8:05 to play. Brown and Thomas both scored and Thomas added a 3-pointer. The teams traded buckets until Taylor made two free throws and a 3-pointer for a 69-58 lead. After Ripon scored, Brown knocked down a jumper and Maring made a layup with just under three minutes to play. Huber, Taylor and Thomas each made free throws down the stretch as the Scots extended the lead to 15 before Ripon scored on their final possession.
Thomas led the Scots with 21 points while Brown had 20 and Taylor added 14. Brown led the way with eight rebounds while Taylor had seven assists. Plumer led the Scots with two steals while both Huber and Maring grabbed six rebounds.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown has scored in double digits in every game he has played this season and now holds the school record by scoring in double digits in 32 straight games dating back to last season … He broke the record held by Jim Thornton … Brown has topped 400 points in two straight seasons … Thomas has scored at least 10 points in 16 straight games and he has 20 double digit games this season … Taylor played in his 99th career game second most in school history … He has 998 career points … With 64 wins the senior class has the most wins by any senior class since 1993 and the sixth most in a 4-year span in Scots history … Monmouth is 66-74 all-time against Ripon with a 15-12 mark under coach Skrivseth … The Scots won 81-75 at home last month … Monmouth won both games last year, including an overtime win at home, and they have won six of the last seven meetings … The Scots are home against Knox at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Monmouth College women’s basketball team fell at No. 15 Ripon 88-53 on Saturday. The Fighting Scots (7-15, 3-10) return home for the next two games against Knox and Lake Forest.
The Scots jumped out to a 5-0 lead as Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer and Tiah Riggs (Vincennes, Indiana) scored inside. Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) made it 7-4 with a jumper before Ripon went on a 16-0 run. Hannah Peel (Gladwin, MIchigan) made a free throw and Ripon led 22-8 after the opening quarter.
They pushed the lead to 20 before Rangel made a 3-pointer, Monmouth’s first field goal in over 11 minutes. Ripon scored twice and Ava Borchardt (Harvard, Illinois) made a layup. Jamaica Walker (Mobile, Alabama) split free throws and Borchardt scored again. Ripon extended the lead to 41-16 before Walker scored again. Brooklyn Sellers (Freeport, Illinois) scored Monmouth’s final points of the half as Ripon took a 49-19 lead into the break.
Ripon started the third quarter on a 12-2 run to lead 61-21. Walker made a layup, Stearns scored six points and Peel hit a pair of free throws in a 10-1 Monmouth run. Peel and Walker both scored and Stearns made a layup to end the quarter with Ripon up 70-38.
Down 35, the Scots got a 3-point play from Stearns but Ripon went on an 8-0 run to ;lead 81-41. Rangel hit a 3-pointer and Layla Rice (Rock Island, Illinois) scored before Ripon extended the lead to 42. Monmouth finished the game on a 7-0 run with two layups from Walker and a 3-pointer by Rangel.
Stears led the Scots with 17 points while Rangel had 12 on four made 3-pointers. Sellers had five rebounds while Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) had three assists and two steals. Walker had three steals and added 10 points.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Walker has scored 10 or more points five times this season, four of those in MWC games … Stearns has a team-best 14 games with at least 10 points, including five in a row … With her 60th made 3-pointer, Stearns moves into a tie for 18th on the career list with Katie Sheets … With her four made 3-pointers, Rangel moved past 2022 MWC Player of the Year Josie Morgan for ninth on the Monmouth career list with 79 … She also moved past Yvonne Ornelas for eighth on the attempts list … Hoy moved into a tie for seventh place with Colleen Forrest and Katherine Forrest with 97 games played … The Scots were 8-for-18 at the free throw lineRipon won the rebounding battle 36-14 with 17 offensive rebounds … Ripon leads the all-time series 41-21 and they have won 10 in a row, all by at least 13 points … Ripon won 76-40 in Monmouth last month … Ripon is 13-2 in the last 15 matchups with Monmouth winning two straight in February of 2020 … The Scots return home on Wednesday against Knox after the 5:30 p.m. men’s game.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
