VILLANOVA, Pa. - In its 2011-12 season opener, the Monmouth University men's basketball team fell at Villanova University 106-70 in head coach King Rice's debut with the Hawks. Monmouth, which surrendered 100 points for the first time since December of 2008, had three players score in double-figures, led by junior Jesse Steele's 12 points and five assists.
The Hawks (0-1) connected on 45.2% from the floor in the first half, but went 9-of-33 in the second half, while the Wildcats connected on 12 three-pointers.
Dion Nesmith, in his collegiate debut, notched 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals, while Phill Wait added 10 points. Ed Waite recorded nine points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a pair of steals as well.
Monmouth grabbed an early lead after five straight points from Steele, as the junior's pull-up three-pointer gave the Hawks a 5-2 advantage with 18:10 left in the opening half.
After Wait's lay-in knotted the score at 7-7, Darrun Hilliard's three-pointer gave the Wildcats a 10-7 edge, and Villnova increased its lead to 17-11 following Dominic Cheek's second trey, and a pair of Maalik Wayns foul shots with 13:04 showing.
Will Campbell's trifecta trimmed the deficit to 19-16 with 11:40 left in the stanza, but the Wildcats used a 13-4 run to grab a 32-20 lead at 7:51.
After falling behind 34-22, three-pointers from Nesmith and Campbell pulled the Blue and White within 36-28 with 4:35 left, but the Wildcats used an 8-4 spurt, including five free throws, to hold a 44-32 edge with 2:22 remaining.
Austin Tillotson's steal and lay-in trimmed the 'Nova lead to 44-34, but the Wildcats outscored the Hawks 11-2, paced by a set of three-pointers, over the final 1:31 of the half to take a 55-36 lead at the intermission.
Freshman Andrew Nicholas drilled a trey for the Hawks' first points of the second half, as Monmouth trailed 57-39 with 19:24 left, and back-to-back post baskets from Wait made the score 60-43 with just under 18 minutes remaining. Waite's follow-up dunk pulled the Hawks within 60-45, but consecutive treys from Cheek and Wayns started a 16-0 Wildcat run which culminated in a 74-47 lead with 14:25 left.
Nicholas' second three-pointer stopped the run, but VU pushed the run to 21-4 to take a 79-51 lead, and the Wildcats took an 89-57 advantage with 9:57 showing.
Mykel Harris' three-point play made the tally 92-62, however Villanova notched the next 11 points to claim a 103-62 advantage with 5:30 left.
Villanova, which hit 59.4% from the field in the second half, put three players in double-figures, led by Cheek's game-high 27 points, behind 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Mouphtaou Yarou added 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Wayns chipped in 15 points and five assists.
In the game, 10 of Monmouth's 11 players scored for the Hawks, as Campbell and Nicholas added eight points apiece and Harris notched six.
Monmouth returns to action on Monday night, when the Hawks face host Virginia Tech in the opening round of the 2011 Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off in Blacksburg, Virginia. Tip-off is set for 7:02 p.m., in Cassell Coliseum.
