The Monmouth College men’s basketball team put three players in double figures but couldn’t hold the lead in a 78-76 home loss to Lake Forest on Wednesday. Monmouth (2-12, 1-5) had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer but the putback of a missed free throw hit the rim.
The Scots got off to a quick start with baskets from Jonathan Oradiegwu (RIchmond, Texas) and Jordan Metcalf (Aledo, Illinois). Amyas Njoku (Los Angeles, California) and Kendall Brasfield (Chicago, Illinois) both hit 3-pointers as Monmouth built a 17-9 lead.
Lake Forest called timeout and made a mini run as Sean Espinosa and Johnny Roeser connected on baskets. Leading 23-20 the Scots got a basket from Metcalf and a 3-pointer from Brasfield for an eight-point lead. Will Ewald (Lincoln, Illinois) buried a 3-pointer to give the Scots a 31-20 lead and an 8-0 run.
A 3-pointer from Oradiegwu pushed the lead to 13 for the first time at 38-25. Lake Forest went on a 5-0 run before the Scots hit a pair of free throws. Ewald put Monmouth up 42-32 with a basket before the Foresters hit the last basket of the half for a 42-34 halftime score.
Brasfield hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to 11 points early in the second half. On the next possession, the freshman hit a pair of free throws and after a Lake Forest basket, Brasfield hit a jumper for seven straight points.
The teams traded baskets and fouls with the Scots still leading by 13 until the Foresters scored on two straight possessions to cut the lead to 57-48. Breck Biedscheid (Washington, Illinois) ended that run with a baseline jumper. Lake Forest scored on the next two possessions and cut the lead to 59-52 with 11 minutes to play.
The Scots turned it over twice out of a timeout and Lake Forest got to within five. Metcalf grabbed an offensive rebound, scored and made the free throw for a 3-point play and a 62-54 Monmouth lead. With the Scots in the bonus, Metcalf made a pair of free throws on the next possession. Lake Forest started the game 0-for-9 from 3-point range but they made back-to-back shots from distance in 40 seconds to cut the Monmouth lead to 64-62 with 7:43 to play.
The Scots missed a free throw and Lake Forest took their first lead of the game on a 3-point play by Espinosa. After a missed jumper, Lake Forest scored on their next possession and then made a free throw for a 68-64 lead and a 12-0 run. Biedscheid ended that run by splitting free throws. Oradiegwu stole the ball and sprinted in for a layup but missed the free throw as Lake Forest stayed on top 68-67.
Lake Forest pushed their lead to five and Monmouth turned the ball over with 2:59 left. Brasfield knocked down a jumper but Lake Forest answered. Oradiegwu made a pair of free throws and Lake Forest took a timeout with 1:11 to play and a 76-73 lead. The Foresters missed a shot and Oradiegwu scored to cut the deficit to one. After a timeout, Monmouth fouled and Lake Forest missed both free throws giving the Scots the ball with 28.7 seconds to play.
Out of the timeout, Ewald missed a corner 3-pointer but Brasfield got the rebound and was fouled with 15.8 seconds left. He missed both and Lake Forest went to the line with 14.1 seconds left. Zach Foster made both free throws for a 78-75 Forester lead.
Lake Forest fouled Ewald with 2.8 seconds to play. He made the first and intentionally missed the second. The Scots tipped the ball twice but it wouldn’t fall in off the hands of Brasfield or Oradiegwu as the Foresters won 78-76.
Brasfield and Metcalf finished with 20 points each and Oradiegwu had 17. Ewald had eight points off the bench and Oradiegwu led Monmouth with 14 rebounds while Njoku had five assists.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots were 16-for-26 on free throwsBrasfield scored a career-high 20 points and has scored at least 15 points in three straight home gamesHis previous career high was 17 points at Eureka on Nov. 23He made a career-high three 3-pointersOradiegwu had his first career double-doubleMonmouth made five 3-pointers in the first half but just one in the second halfThe Scots lost at Lake Forest 94-85 on Nov. 30Monmouth will host Knox College on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the first of two regular-season matchups between the rivals this season.
***Report Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
