WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Led by John Bunch's (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) first career triple-double, Monmouth University's men's basketball team downed Saint Francis (N.Y.), 69-60 Saturday night at Boylan Gym.
Bunch becomes the first player in Monmouth's NCAA Division I history to record a triple-double with his 11 point, 11 rebound, 10 block effort.
Sporting a 33-24 lead to start the second half, Monmouth's Dejan Delic (Serbia-Montenegro/Bridgton Academy), who was held scoreless in the first half, scored five points in the first three minutes as the Hawks' margin grew to 12. Sophomore Whitney Coleman's (Salem, Conn./St. Thomas More) three pointer put the score at 42-29 with 15:58 showing on the clock. At the 14:55 mark SFNY's Marcus Williams went up for a shot and was blocked by Bunch, his sixth of the game, which tied a season-high. Less than three minutes later, Terrier Robert Hines was swatted by Bunch, equaling his career-high. Coleman followed that up with a three pointer before Bunch blocked Hines again, this time setting a new career high of eight blocks in a single contest.
Saint Francis made a quick run to cut the MU lead to 48-41, with eight and change remaining in regulation. Coleman scored his 13th point of the game on a three pointer before Bunch went right back to work in the trenches, getting fouled on a successful layup. Despite missing the free throw, Bunch grabbed the defensive rebound and Delic hit a trey to open up a 15 point lead, prompting a Terrier timeout. After a Youngblood three-ball, Bunch recorded his first career triple double with a rejection on Gooden, then grabbed the rebound. The Terriers would not go away quietly, closing the gap to nine points with 2:09 left in the game. With time winding down Coleman took a long pass from Youngblood and dunked the ball, putting the game out of reach for Saint Francis.
Saint Francis took a 3-0 lead to start the game but the Hawks quickly rebounded with a Youngblood shot which was followed up by a three-point play from Corey Hallet (Shelburne, Nova Scotia/Shelburne). The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes and after the first media timeout the score was deadlocked at 7-7. Back to back running layups by Coleman and Mike Shipman (Bronx, N.Y./Middletown, Del.) gave the Hawks a 13-11 lead but it didn't last long as SFNY's Allan Sheppard launched an arching shot over the out-stretched arms of Bunch to tie the score. Minutes later senior Marques Alston (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) scored five straight points, first a three pointer, then a layup under the basket after Bunch swatted a shot and grabbed a rebound on the follow up to give the Hawks the ball back.
With 9:47 showing on the clock, MU led 19-14. Youngblood scored the next two baskets of the game, extending the MU run to 10-0 before Sheppard stopped the drought with an open layup. The Terrier's John Gooden put in a three consecutive shots and cut the MU lead to 25-22 with just over five minutes to play in the first half. Monmouth rattled off a 5-0 run before Bunch grabbed an offensive board and was fouled on the successful put back. The 7-2 senior nailed the ensuing free throw as Saint Francis scored its first bucket in over five minutes at the last second, with the score resting at 33-24 in favor of Monmouth going into halftime.
Bunch led all players in rebounds and blocks, while adding 11 points. Youngblood scored 19 points in the contest, while Coleman had 17 points. Alston finished with seven rebounds and Delic tied a career-high in assists with six.
Hines finished with 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Terriers. Gooden added 15 points while Sheppard chipped in 14.
MU shot 52 percent on the night, while the Terriers finished shooting 35.5 percent. Despite winning by nine, the Hawks were out-rebounded and committed more turnovers in the game.
Monmouth improved to 10-12 overall and 5-5 in the Northeast Conference with the win. St. Francis falls to 5-19 (3-9 NEC) with the loss. Monmouth is back in action on Monday night with a road game against in-state rival Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m.
