WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? Monmouth University's defense paced the Hawks to a 60-57 victory over league-leading Robert Morris, in Northeast Conference men's basketball action, on Thursday night in Boylan Gym. The Hawks, who erased a 12-point, second-half deficit with an 18-0 run, held the Colonials to 27 points in the decisive stanza.

Monmouth, which improved to 7-21 overall and 5-10 in the NEC, snapped the Colonials' 13-game NEC win streak, as freshmen Will Campbell and Travis Taylor scored 30 of the Hawks' 37 second half points.

When asked about the Hawks' defensive effort, head coach Dave Calloway stated, “These guys did it. They deserve all of the credit. They worked so hard in practice this week, and it showed.”

Trailing 41-29 with 14:30 left in the game, Monmouth went on an 18-0 run, while holding the league's highest scoring offense scoreless for 7:26. After taking a 47-41 lead, the game saw two ties in the final 4:39 of action, before Campbell's driving layup with 1:26 proved to be the game winner.

With the contest knotted at 57-57, Campbell gave the lead back to the Hawks, 59-57, with 1:26 on the clock, when the guard's floater was successful. After missed three-pointers by both sides gave RMU the ball with 38 seconds left, Monmouth's defense forced Bateko Francisco to turn the ball over into his own bench, with 13.1 ticks on the clock.

With 8.9 seconds left, Yaniv Simpson was fouled, and cold off the bench, hit one free throw, keeping the lead at 60-57.

Racing down the court, Jimmy Langhurst's three-point attempt, off a pump-fake, fell off the rim, securing the victory for the Hawks, and snapping Monmouth's seven-game skid.

With the score tied at 4-4 at the 17:15 mark, Monmouth went on a 7-0 run to claim an 11-4 advantage with 14:50 showing. In the spurt, Campbell drained a wing three-pointer, while George Barbour and Taylor added baskets.

The Colonials notched nine of the next 11 points, sandwiched around Alex Nunner's wing jumper, to tie the score at 13-13 with 10:43 remaining. Taylor's lay-up off a feed from Dutch Gaitley, reclaimed an edge for the Hawks, but Gary Wallace's three-pointer from straight away, at 8:59, gave RMU the advantage for the first time since it was a 4-2 contest.

Mike Myers Keitt, who was fouled on a follow-attempt, connected on a pair of free throws, to pull the Hawks within 18-17, and Barbour's lay-in made the score 20-19, with 5:30 remaining in the half.

Myers Keitt's layup off a pass from Barbour pulled Monmouth within 22-21, but a Jeremy Chappell three and Mezie Nwigwe's jump shot at the foul line, put the Colonials in front, 27-21, with 2:22 left. Barbour's spin move and hoop made the score 27-23, but a Wallace corner trifecta with 1:38 showing, pushed RMU ahead 30-23 at the break.

Robert Morris pushed the lead to double-figures out of intermission, behind four free throws, and Rob Robinson's breakaway dunk made the score 36-24, with 17:14 remaining.

Campbell's three-point play pulled the Hawks within 36-29 at the 16:06 mark, but RMU reclaimed a 12-point edge, 41-29, at 14:30. Monmouth, behind a Taylor slam and Campbell's drive down the lane and finger-roll, made the tally 41-33 with 13:34 left.

Taylor's turnaround jump shot along the baseline trimmed the margin to 41-35 at 12:08, and after an RMU turnover, Campbell dropped in a pull-up jumper to make the score 41-37, with 11:38 showing.

On the next possession, Monmouth turned defense into offense, as Taylor's blocked shot allowed a breakout lay up for Campbell, pulling the Hawks within 41-39 with 10:36 left in the game.

The Hawks, who held RMU scoreless for a span of 6:05, tied the game on a pair of James Hett free throws, and recaptured the lead, 42-41, when Nunner drained a free throw at 8:25.

Monmouth extended its run to 18-0 over a seven-minute span, to coral a 47-41 lead with 7:20 remaining on Campbell's backdoor layup, off a cross-court dish from Hett.

Robert Morris ended its drought at 7:26 when Ifeanyi Ehirim connected on a basket with 7:04 showing, cutting the lead to 47-43.

After Monmouth and RMU traded offensive rebounds and baskets, the Colonials pulled within 50-49 on a pair of Nwigwe free throws with 4:58 left in the contest.

Taylor's two foul shots gave Monmouth a three-point edge, but Chappell responded with a traditional three-point play, to tie the game at 52-52 with 4:39 showing.

In response, Campbell and Taylor teamed for the next five points, giving Monmouth a 57-52 advantage with 2:54 on the clock, but Chappell's wing three-pointer tied the score once again, 57-57, with 1:54 remaining.

Campbell, who scored 18 of his team-high 23 points in the second half, paced the Hawks, who started three freshmen, while Taylor chipped in with 18 points. Myers Keitt added six points, six rebounds and three assists, while Barbour tallied seven points and five rebounds.

Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, February 21, when the Hawks travel to Sacred Heart for a Northeast Conference contest in Fairfield, Connecticut. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.