ANNAPOLIS, Md. –Highlighted by a game-high 20 points from junior Jesse Steele, the Monmouth University men's basketball team earned its first win of the season, and the first of head coach King Rice's career, with a 69-67 victory at Navy in Alumni Hall on Tuesday night. The Hawks, who have opened the season with nine straight road games, improve to 1-8 overall.

“I am extremely excited for our kids, our staff and the Monmouth community,” said coach Rice following the game. “We appreciate all the support, and thank you Dr. McNeil and President Gaffney for this opportunity. I am just hopeful that this jumpstarts us to having a very successful season.”

Trailing 62-60 with 5:08 remaining in the contest, an Andrew Nicholas basket in the lane knotted the game at 62-62, and Ed Waite hauled in an offensive rebound to give the Hawks a 64-62 lead with 1:52 left, a lead they would not relinquish.

On Navy's next possession, the Hawks forced a turnover and a pair of Steele free throws gave MU a 66-62 edge with 1:05 showing.

Navy climbed within 66-64 on a Jordan Sugars' post move and after a timeout, the Midshipmen's full court pressure caused an MU turnover. With 20 ticks remaining, Worth Smith's baseline floater missed the mark, and Nicholas pulled down the rebound before Steele was fouled again, with 14.8 left.

After Steele made both ends of the 1-and-1 to make the score 68-64, Sugars' drilled a three-pointer in front of the Navy bench to trim the lead to one with 7.2 seconds showing.

On the ensuing possession, Dion Nesmith was fouled and hit one free throw making the tally 69-67 with 6.0 ticks left, before Jordan Brickman's game-winner just missed as time expired.

“I just knew I had to make those free throws,” stated Steele. “It feels good to get the win.”

Monmouth, which shot a season-best 58.0% from the field, was led offensively by Steele, who went for 20 points, behind four three-pointers and 4-for-4 from the foul line. Waite added 10 points and six rebounds, while Mike Myers Keitt chipped in 10 points and four boards. Nesmith contributed eight points, four assists and four steals, while Nicholas added eight points and six assists.

After a Nicholas basket gave the Hawks an early 2-0 lead, Monmouth pushed its advantage to 7-3 following a Waite lay-in off a loose ball and Nesmith's three-pointer in the corner, at 17:04.

Navy answered with the next five, and grabbed an 8-7 edge on Isaiah Roberts' three-point play, but the Hawks responded with a 7-0 spurt over 2:07 of action, capped by a Steele trey off a feed from Will Campbell, to haul in a 14-8 edge with 13:38 showing.

The Midshipmen trimmed the lead to 16-14, but a Steele backdoor layup off a feed from Waite, and Phill Wait's basket at the rim, gave Monmouth a 20-14 edge with 10:12 on the clock. Steele's second three-pointer, as the shot clocked expired, put the Hawks ahead 23-17 with 8:31 left, but Navy rattled off a 13-2 run, highlighted by three trifectas, to take a 30-25 edge with 4:41 remaining until the break.

Mike Myers Keitt's drive down the lane started a 7-0 spurt for Monmouth, which knotted the game at 30-30 on Steele's third trey, and the Hawks grabbed a 32-30 advantage on Nesmith's fast break hoop with 3:32 showing.

Brandon Venturini reclaimed a lead for Navy on his three-pointer from the wing following an MU turnover, and the Midshipmen took a 35-32 advantage with 1:15 showing, before Campbell's pull-up jumper in  the lane made the tally 35-34 with 50 ticks left. Out of a timeout, J.J. Avila notched his fifth basket of the half and Navy held a 37-34 lead at the half.

After Waite's post-up basket pulled MU within 37-36 just 25 seconds into the half, the two sides traded scoring possessions over the next 3:18 of play, when Brickman connected on his third three-pointer to give Navy a 47-42 edge with 15:52 left.

Trailing by its largest deficit of the game, five points, the Hawks answered with a 9-1 run, capped by a Steele three-pointer with 12:28 left, to haul in a 51-48 advantage.

Following a Nicholas basket off an inbounds play, Navy scored the next five points to reclaim the lead, 55-53, on a Sugars three-pointer from the corner, with 9:46 left.

Waite's offensive rebound and putback knotted the game at 55-55 before a Myers Keitt lay-in off a feed from Marcus Ware put the Hawks in front 57-55 with 7:08 showing. Two possessions later, Ware's three-point play gave Monmouth a 60-58 edge, but Navy answered with the four to hold a 62-60 lead with 5:08 remaining.

Navy (3-7), which hit 47.1% from the field, had four players score in double-figures, led by Avila's 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Sugars dropped in 12 points, while Brickman added 11 points and a game-high eight assists.

Monmouth, which committed just five turnovers in the second half, outrebounded Navy 30-21.

Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, December 10 when the Hawks host Fordham in the home opener for the Blue and White. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m.