MEN'S BASKETBALL'S COMEBACK BID COMES UP SHORT AT CANISIUS AS HAWKS FALL 96-86

BUFFALO, NY – The Monmouth University men's basketball team cut the Canisius lead to as little as five in the second half, but was ultimately defeated by the Golden Griffins in the conference opener Friday night, 96-86 in Buffalo. The loss drops the Hawks to 4-3 and 0-1 in the MAAC, while the Golden Griffins improve to 3-3 and 1-0 in league play.

“We're a good team that just beat tonight,” said head coach King Rice. “We didn't play our best basketball tonight.”

The Hawks trimmed the Canisius lead down to as slim as five in the second half with 8:07 remaining as freshman Pierre Sarr (Dakar, Senegal/Roselle Catholic) converted a layup inside to make the score 74-69 Golden Griffins. Monmouth hung within six, getting to that mark after a pair of Justin Robinson (Lake Katrine, NY/Kingston) free throws with 4:58 to play made the score 80-74 in favor of the home team. Jamal Reynolds hit a three that bumped the Griffs lead back to 11, and Monmouth would get no closer than seven after that, doing so when Je'lon Hornbeak (Arlington, TX/Grace Prep [Oklahoma]) got a steal and hit a turnaround triple with 26 seconds left.

MU came out of the locker room with three three-pointers on the first three possessions, two from Robinson and one from Hornbeak to chop the Canisius lead down to 11 immediately. Canisius answered with a Kevin Bleeker three that put the lead back to 16 at 16:55.

Canisius hit 12 threes in the opening half, shooting 60% from downtown to open up a 16-point lead at the break. The Griffs ended the half on a 33-17 push, the biggest run a 14-2 spurt to the 8:59 mark that included six points from beyond the arc by Chris Atkinson and five more total from Malcolm McMillan. The Blue and White trimmed the deficit to nine on Sarr's first career field goal at 5:39, but Canisius answered with an 8-0 streak on treys from Jermaine Crumpton and McMillan to lead 44-27 at 3:46. The Golden Griffins' first half lead grew as large as 19 before Robinson trimmed it to 16 with a three at the buzzer to make it 53-37.

MU got back to back-buckets from Robinson to take a 20-17 lead in the first, their final lead of the opening stanza at the 12:51 mark. The Golden Griffins took an immediate 8-0 lead, but the Hawks answered that with a 14-3 run including back-to-back Hornbeak threes to take a 14-11 lead before Canisius rebounded to lead by 16 at the intermission.

Monmouth put three in double-figures, including 23 from Robinson, his sixth consecutive game of 20 or more points this season, along with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Hornbreak put in 18 points, a career-best, with six rebounds and Micah Seaborn (Fort Worth, TX/Prime Prep Academy) netted 17 on 7-of-12 field goals, his sixth game in double-figures this season, with seven rebounds.

Canisius put seven players in double-digits, led by McMillan who scored 22. Phil Valenti added 14 points and eight boards while Chris Atkinson nailed four triples in the win. Monmouth was outshot 43.9% to 40.6% from the floor on the night while outrunning Canisius in transition to the tune of 24-6 on the fast break.

The Hawks return to the floor at Niagara on Sunday, with tip against the Purple Eagles set for 2:00 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Justin Robinson: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

#10 Micah Seaborn: G; 6' 5"; Freshman

#11 Je'lon Hornbeak: G; 6' 3"; Junior

#1 Pierre Sarr: F; 6' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#12 Justin Robinson
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G

#10 Micah Seaborn
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: G

#11 Je'lon Hornbeak
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#1 Pierre Sarr
: 6' 8"; Freshman
: F