Monmouth Hawks (1-1) at Lehigh Mountain Hawks (1-0)
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 | 7:00pm ET
Stabler Arena, Bethlehem, PA
 
Please find PDF of full notes attached
 
MEDIA INFORMATION
VIDEO
Patriot League Network
Play-by-Play: Tom Fallon
Analyst: Greg Falkenbach
RADIO
Shore Sports Network 1160/1310AM
Play-by-Play: Eddy Occhipinti
Analyst: Josh James

LIVE STATS
http://www.sidearmstats.com/lehigh/mbball/

ALL-TIME SERIES
Monmouth is 2-5 all-time against Lehigh, and the teams have not met since King Rice was named the coach at Monmouth.

HAMMOND'S OPENING WEEKEND BREAKOUT
Deion Hammond became the first Monmouth freshman to score 30 points in his first two games under King Rice, topping Micah Seaborn's 28 points in 2015-16. Ed Waite also scored 28 points in his first two games prior to Rice's tenure in 2009. Hammond hit three straight triples at Seton Hall Sunday in the first half to pull MU within one, finishing with a game-high 17 points. He became the first Hawk to lead Monmouth in scoring in a game as a true freshman since Josh James on February 22, 2014 against Saint Peter's.

HIGH-MAJORS IN THE EARLY SEASON
For the sixth time in seven seasons since taking over as head coach, King Rice has opened the season with a 1-1 record. In five of those years, including four in a row, the loss has come at the hands of a high-major program: 2017, Seton Hall: 2016, South Carolina: 2015, Southern California: 2014, West Virginia: 2012, Notre Dame.

BENCH SCORING
After being outscored off the bench 12-11 on opening night, Monmouth reserves took over against Seton Hall, topping the Pirates by a 39-7 margin in bench points. MU was led by 17 off the bench from Deion Hammond and seven more from Ray Salnave.

SEABORN TAKES OVER
Micah Seaborn claimed his first career double-double in Friday night, going for 21 points and 10 rebounds, a career-high in boards. Seaborn knocked in the game-winning foul shots with five seconds remaining to put MU up to stay, and shot 5-11 on the night while going 10-13 from the foul line with three assists and a steal. He continued with a 16-point effort on Saturday at Seton Hall, one of two Hawks to find double figures in the first two games (Deion Hammond).

TIME FOR THE YOUTH
Freshman Melik Martin, who did not sign with Monmouth until this past August, turned in an eight-rebound game on opening night, playing 18 minutes in the win. He snagged seven caroms in the first half, and his final board came on the final shot of the night, a rebound he grabbed and held as time expired to secure the win. Alongside Deion Hammond's back-to-back double figure efforts, George Papas nailed his only shot from deep at Seton Hall on Sunday and Marcus McClary converted his first career points at the Prudential Center Sunday as well.

TWO GAMES, TWO STARTERS
After Ray Salnave made his collegiate debut by starting at the point guard spot against Bucknell, Austin Tilghman replaced Salnave in the starting five at Seton Hall. Tilghman, the 2017 MAAC Sixth Man of the Year, made just his second career start after making his first against Ole Miss in last year's NIT.

TIME FOR A ROAD TRIP
MU's game at Lehigh marks the second of a four-game road swing, the first of two trips of four games or longer that Monmouth will take in the non-conference. Monmouth next heads to Virginia on Sunday before playing UNC Asheville. From December 9th through the end of the month, MU will play five games in a row away from home, beginning with a December 9th matchup at Madison Square Garden vs. Kentucky.