HAMDEN, CONN. ? Quinnipiac's Bryan Geffen hit a wing three-pointer with 2.6 seconds left, to help the Bobcats escape the TD Banknorth Sports Center with a 62-60 win over Monmouth, in Northeast Conference men's basketball action on Thursday night.
Monmouth, which rallied from a six-point deficit in the final 1:22 of the contest, grabbed a 60-59 lead with 11.8 ticks showing on Jhamar Youngblood's trifecta from the wing.
Monmouth, which missed its first eight shots of the game, fell behind 8-2 at 13:45 when Louis Brookins dropped in a layup, but the Hawks battled to back to 8-7, behind a Yaniv Simpson trey and James Hett's reverse layup.
After another Hett lay-in at 10:02 brought the Hawks within 13-12, the Bobcats built a five-point edge at 7:27. The Hawks responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Alex Nunner and Hett, to grab an 18-17 lead with 5:22 left until the break.
Trailing 24-20, Nunner drained his second three of the half to pull Monmouth within one point with 1:38 left, and Yaniv Simpson's baseline jumper off an inbounds play, with under a minute remaining pulled the Blue and White within 26-25 at the intermission.
Monmouth scored the first six points out of the break, including consecutive fast break layups from Hett and Youngblood, to spark the Hawks to a 31-26 lead at 17:10. Nunner's three-pointer with 16:25 remaining put Monmouth ahead, 34-28.
Quinnipiac netted five straight points to pull within 34-33 with 13:58 showing, but Monmouth, paced by two Simpson treys, went ahead 43-36 with 11:07 left.
The Bobcats responded with an 8-1 run over the next two and half minutes to pull even at 44-44, before consecutive layups from Hett and Youngblood gave Monmouth a 48-46 edge with 5:10 remaining in the contest.
QU answered with a 10-1 run over the next 2:50, capped by a Casey Cosgrove three-pointer to take a 56-49 advantage. Out of a Monmouth timeout, Simpson drilled a wing trey to make the score 56-52, with 1:57 showing.
After two James Feldeine free throws gave QU a 58-62 edge, Hett's drive pulled the Hawks within 58-54 with 1:02 left.
With 50.5 ticks remaining, Youngblood missed two free throws, but after Whitney Coleman corralled the rebound, Nunner drained a straight-away trifecta to make the score 59-57, with 47 seconds left.
Monmouth then forced a tie-up situation with 39.8 ticks left, which led to Youngblood's wing three with 11.8 seconds left, giving the Hawks a 60-59 lead. Out of a time out, Geffen's three was the game-winner.
Monmouth (6-21, 3-12 NEC) was led by Hett's career-high 19 points, including a season-best 3-for-3 from three-point range, and six assists. Nunner and Simpson each chipped in 14 points, while Coleman added a career-best eight assists and six rebounds.
The Hawks connected on 42.6% from the field, but were 2-of-8 from the free throw line (all in the second half). Monmouth, which committed nine turnovers, hit 46.2% (12-of-26) from beyond the arc.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, February 23, when the Hawks host Long Island University in Boylan Gym, at 7:15 p.m.
