MIAMI, FLA. - Monmouth University suffered an 80-61 defeat at FIU in men's college basketball action on Monday night, at FIU's Golden Panther Arena. The Hawks, now 0-2 to open the season, had three players score in double-figures, paced by the freshmen duo of Travis Taylor and Mike Myers Keitt, who combined for 24 points and nine rebounds.
FIU went ahead 7-0 to open the game, as Nikola Gacesa and Nick Taylor combined for all seven points, before James Hett got Monmouth on the board at 18:17 with a backdoor layup. The Golden Panthers extended the lead to nine, 11-2, at 17:01 when Gacesa hit two free throws.
The Hawks netted back-to-back threes on consecutive trips to trim the lead to 11-8 with 16:10 left, as R.J. Rutledge and Yaniv Simpson connected from beyond the arc. FIU answered with a 13-0 run over the next 4:55 to coral a 24-8 cushion, before Alex Nunner's back-door lay-in made the score 24-10 with 10:46 remaining.
After FIU reclaimed a 16-point advantage, Travis Taylor dropped in consecutive hoops for the Hawks, including his first career dunk, to pull Monmouth within 28-14, with 8:01 showing.
Myers Keitt's three-pointer pulled the Blue and White within 30-19 with 4:42 left, but Gacesa's three gave the Panthers a 40-19 advantage with 2:05 left.
Monmouth, which managed just five points in the final 4:42 of the first half, trailed 43-24 at the break.
The Hawks notched the first five points out of intermission, highlighted by a Rutledge baseline dunk, to make the score 43-29 with 17:15 showing, and Rutledge's trifecta at 13:05 pulled the Hawks within 49-34.
After a Michael Dominguez three-pointer gave FIU a 59-36 lead with 9:27 left, the Hawks cut the advantage to 61-46, at 7:27 when Will Campbell connected on two foul shots. FIU answered with seven straight points from Dominguez, including two treys, to take a 68-46 advantage.
Another three-pointer from Dominguez and a basket from Harley Fuller gave the Panthers a 77-52 lead with 3:51 left in the contest.
Monmouth outscored the Panthers 9-2 in the final 3:13 of the contest to make the final score 80-61.
Monmouth, which connected on 41.1% from the field in the contest, hit just 4-of-15 from beyond the arc. Rutledge, making his first start of the year, tallied 11 points, while Nunner chipped in with eight points and three assists off the bench. Myers Keitt dropped in 10 points and four rebounds, while classmate Will Campbell added six points for the Hawks as well.
FIU, which lead by as many as 26 points in the game, had three players in double-figures as well, led by Dominguez's 22 points and seven rebounds. Gacesa, who went scoreless in FIU's opening win over Eastern Kentucky, notched 20 points and six rebounds.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday, November 20, when the Hawks host the University of Rhode Island in the opening round of the Philly Hoop Group Classic in Boylan Gym. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
