NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Monmouth closed the game on an 11-1 run over the final 2:45 and trimmed an 11-point deficit to one, but could not complete the comeback in falling to Niagara on the road Friday night, 78-77. Diago Quinn (New York, NY/Lake Forest Academy) collected his first career double-double and Louie Pillari (Tinton Falls, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) led four Hawks in doubles with 19 points. The win snapped a nine-game winning streak for MU over the Purple Eagles.

Trailing 77-66 with 2:45 remaining, MU mounted a furious comeback that started with an Austin Tilghman (Wilmington, DE/Archbishop Carroll) three-point play. Melik Martin (York, PA/York Catholic) nailed a three and then drew a James Towns charge in the backcourt off an MU miss. Trailing by four, Pierre Sarr (Dakar, Senegal/Roselle Catholic) drilled a three from in front of his own bench to trim it to one. The Hawks got a stop and with 12 seconds to go, came up the floor down one but Pillari traveled and Niagara ran out the clock to secure the win.

Niagara came out of the locker room and led by double digits almost immediately before the Blue and White were able to cut it to as little as four multiple times. Kahlil Dukes hit a three at 8:22 to give NU its largest lead of 13 before Monmouth came back in the final minutes, ultimately falling short.

The opening minutes saw the Hawks jump to a 9-2 lead before Niagara came right back with an 11-3 push to lead by one. After several lead changes, the home team scored eight consecutive points to take a 34-26 lead on Matt Scott's foul shot. Niagara led by as many as nine in the half, which was the lead at the break.

NOTES AND QUOTES

"You have to give Niagara credit, they do a good job. We haven't been able to get 40 minutes but we're going to keep on plugging and keep on fighting and trying to get better." –King Rice told the Shore Sports Network postgame

-Diago Quinn notched his first career double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
-Quinn's 14 rebounds are tied for the most by a Hawk this season (Tilghman at Yale) and most for him since he had 16 vs. Niagara on 2/28/16.
-Louie Pillari led all Hawks with 19 points, the second highest total of his career.
-In his last two games against NU, Pillari is averaging 18 points per game.
-Zac Tillman worked into double digits for the fourth time this season, and first since 12/6 vs. Hofstra.
-Melik Martin netted his first three since 12/6 vs. Hofstra.
-Micah Seaborn missed his fifth game of the season and second in a row.
-The win is Niagara's first over Monmouth since the Hawks joined the MAAC in 2013.
-Austin Tilghman posted his seventh double-digit effort of the year.
-Monmouth tied a season high with 16 offensive rebounds (Kentucky).

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outscored Niagara in the paint 38-20.
-MU outscored the opponents bench for the 13^th time this year, 43-30.
-Monmouth dominated the glass to a 45-33 margin.
-MU falls to 1-3 in the MAAC, while Niagara is 3-2.
-Kahlil Dukes led all scorers with 25 points on 8-14 shooting.
-James Towns scored a career-high 18 points off the bench for Niagara.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth remains in Western New York to take on Canisius on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN3.