HAMDEN, CONN. - Monmouth University fell 82-63 at Quinnipiac University in Northeast Conference men's basketball action on Thursday night at TD Bank Sports Center. Quinnipiac, which outscored the Hawks 19-6 over the final seven minutes of the first half to grab control, improved to 20-8 overall, including 12-0 at home, and 14-3 in the league, while the Hawks fall to 12-17 overall and 8-9 in the league.
Monmouth, which earned a berth in the NEC's postseason because of Sacred Heart's overtime loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, was paced by Travis Taylor's 20 points. Taylor, who notched 16 second-half points, added seven rebounds and three assists.
After the Hawks grabbed a quick 2-0 edge as Taylor scored off the opening tip, Will Cambell's three-pointer off a feed from Taylor, pushed Monmouth ahead 5-4 with 18:15 on the clock. The Bobcats answered with a 9-2 spurt to take a 13-7 lead on Justin Rutty's second offensive rebound and putback of the half.
After Justin Sofman's jumper pulled Monmouth within 13-9 with 15:19 left, the Hawks climbed within 17-14 following Dutch Gaitley's layup and a Whitney Coleman free throw at 11:00.
With 7:23 remaining, George Barbour's post up made the score 20-17, but QU responded with a 6-0 run, capped by back-to-back James Feldeine baseline jumpers, to grab a 26-17 advantage with 3:57 left.
Coleman drilled a wing trey to pull Monmouth within 26-20 with 3:41 remaining, however the Bobcats corralled a 10-point edge, 30-20, on Jonathan Cruz's jumper at 2:50.
After Coleman's second three-pointer of the half made the score 30-23 with 2:27 showing, the Bobcats ended the half on a 9-0 spurt, to grab a 39-23 advantage at the break.
Campbell drilled a wing trifecta 11 seconds into the second half to make the score 39-26, and Taylor's three-point play pulled the Hawks within 41-29 with 17:27 left.
Behind a 7-2 spurt, QU inflated the lead to 48-31 with 15:37 remaining, before Campbell drained another three-pointer to make the tally 48-34 with 15:24 on the clock.
After Monmouth trimmed the lead to 13, 50-37, with 13:44 remaining, the Bobcats outscored the Hawks 10-0 over the next 1:30 to push the advantage to 60-37 with 11:50 left in the contest.
Traditional three-point plays from Waite and Taylor pulled the Hawks within 62-43, while back-to-back layups by James Hett made the score 65-47 with 9:15 remaining.
Quinnipiac inflated the lead to 76-49 behind a 9-0 spurt, with 5:50 left, before the Hawks, behind seven points from Taylor, pulled within 78-57, with 2:16 left.
Campbell was the only other Hawk in double-figures, with 11 points, while Coleman added nine points.
Quinnipiac was led by Rutty's 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Feldeine recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Bobcats, who shot 54.2% from the field, outrebounded Monmouth 44-30 in the game, and are still in line for the overall number one seed in the upcoming postseason.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, February 27, when the Hawks host Sacred Heart in the last regular season game of the year. Tip-off for Senior Night is set for 7:00 p.m., in the MAC.
