BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. ? St. Francis, which hit 13 three-pointers in the game, connected seven of its first 10 attempts to open the second half, en route to a 73-62 comeback victory over Monmouth on Thursday night at the Pope Athletic Center. The loss snaps Monmouth's two-game NEC win streak and drops the Hawks to 4-13 overall and 2-3 in the league.
Monmouth, which lead by as many as 12 points in the first half, 22-10, with 9:33 remaining, could not withstand a second half barrage, highlighted by Ricky Cadell's five second-half trifectas, in the road loss.
Monmouth, which opened the contest with a 9-0 lead after six straight points from Mike Myers Keitt, at 15:41, and inflated the edge to double-figures, 20-10 on two R.J. Rutledge free throws, with 11:04 showing.
The Hawks grabbed a 22-10 lead at the 9:33 mark on a Myers Keitt jumper in the lane, but consecutive Jamal Womack three-pointers pulled the Terriers within 22-18 with 6:19 remaining.
Monmouth pushed its advantage to 29-20 when Alex Nunner drilled a jump shot off an inbounds play with 3:07 left in the half, but St. Francis answered with two Rocco Rubino trifectas, from the same corner, to pull within 29-28 at the break.
After an empty MU possession to open the second stanza, SFC grabbed its first lead of the game with 19:25 showing, on an alley-oop to Nigel Byam. On the next trip down the floor Myers Keitt drilled a three-pointer to reclaim the lead for the Hawks, but the Terriers put together an 8-0 run to take a 38-32 edge at 15:54.
A Dutch Gaitley foul line jumper, followed by two R.J. Rutledge free throws pulled the Hawks within 41-40 with 13:34 remaining, but John Gooden's three-point play at 9:40 put St. Francis in front 54-45.
Back-to-back Rutledge jumpers in transition, including a wing three-pointer, made the score 58-54 with 6:15 left, but a Gooden layup, and Stefan Pernunicic four-point play gave the Terriers a 10-point cushion, 64-54, with 5:28 showing. St. Francis pushed the lead to as many as 12, 68-58, with 3:34 left, on Cadell's sixth trifecta of the game.
Three Hawks scored in double-figures, led by Rutledge's 19 points off the bench. Myers Keitt connected for 13 points, while Taylor added 11 points and six rebounds.
Cadell notched a game-high 20 points (6-for-9 from three-point range), while Gooden added 14 points and Rubino added 11.
The Terriers (4-10, 2-2 NEC), who shot 52.0% from the floor in the second half, became the third NEC squad this season to comeback from a double-digit deficit for victory against the Hawks.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, January 17th, when the Hawks host Quinnipiac in Boylan Gym, at 7 p.m.
