WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Monmouth University men's basketball, which got double-digit efforts from
Andrew Nicholas (Wrightsville, Pa./Eastern York) and
Marcus Ware (Vineland, N.J./Vineland), fell to the visiting Villanova Wildcats, 83-56, in the MAC on Saturday night.
Nicholas, who connected on 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, notched a team-high 16 points along with four steals, while Ware hit 4-of-6 from the floor for 12 points with six rebounds.
Monmouth, which hit 34.6% (18-52) from the field, fell to 5-7 overall, while Villanova (8-4) won its fourth straight. The Wildcats, who hit 15-of-22 from three-point range, were led by JayVaughn Pinkston's 16 points and eight assists.
“I am really proud of my guys. When we play the high major schools, it's a major test for us and we are getting better,” stated head coach
King Rice. “Other coaches are talking to me about it after the games. Jay [Wright] said our team is much better than last year. Their assistants were raving that we've gotten better. I'm not in to those types of victories. I want to win the game, but our kids are working extremely hard. I scheduled a tough stretch for them, but we will be ready to bounce back when we get back.”
Behind jump shots from Ware and
Khalil Brown (South Orange, N.J./Westwind Academy), the Hawks jumped out to a 4-3 edge, and trailed 8-7 with 16:27 showing following Nicholas' wing three-pointer. The Wildcats answered with a 7-1 spurt to go in front 15-8, and grabbed a 19-10 lead after four straight points from James Bell.
Stephen Spinella's (Colts Neck, N.J./Apex Academy) three-pointer pulled MU within 19-13, while two more Nicholas trifectas made the tally 27-19 with 8:43 showing.
After a Ware three-point play made the score 29-22 at 8:01,
Jesse Steele (Milford, N.J./Oak Hill Academy) drilled a three-pointer from the corner to trim the deficit to 32-25 with 5:55 left. Following Brown's offensive rebound and putback, Darrun Hilliard scored six straight for the Wildcats to put Villanova ahead 39-27 with 1:21 remaining.
Jalen Palm (Louisville, Kent./Butler Traditional) stopped the 'Nova streak with his drive to the basket, pulling the Hawks within 39-29, but Tony Chennault netted the final five points of the stanza to put the Wildcats in front 44-29 at the break.
Monmouth raced out of the intermission with the first seven points, with the first six from Nicholas, including his fourth three-pointer, to trim the lead to single-digits, 44-36, at 17:46.
The Wildcats answered with a 10-0 run, capped by three-pointers from Pinkston and Bell to lead 54-36 with 15:46 showing, before Ware's top of the key jumper halted the streak, making the tally 54-38 with 14:50 left.
Villanova extended its run to 23-6 over a 9:12 span, capped by Mouphtaou Yarou's jump shot, to put the Wildcats ahead 67-42 at 8:25.
Ed Waite's (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest) traditional three-point play stopped the Villanova streak, making the score 67-45 with 7:59 showing, while his dunk and a pair of
Gary Cox (Houston, Texas/Nimitz) free throws made the tally 74-51 with 4:36 remaining.
Monmouth forced 19 Villanova turnovers, but the Wildcats turned 23 Hawk miscues into 30 points.
The Wildcats, who hit a season-high 15 three-pointers, also went 22-of-27 from the foul line and hit 54.8% (23-42) from the floor.
Monmouth returns to action on New Year's Eve, when the Hawks travel to the Bronx to face Fordham at 4:00 p.m., in Rose Hill Gym.
