MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Monmouth Basketball wrapped up the Myrtle Beach Invitational on Sunday afternoon, falling to Cal State Fullerton 87-63. Sam Ibiezugbe (Simsbury, CT/The Masters School) posted his first career game in double figures, finishing with 11 points as one of three Hawks in double digits.

The Hawks won the second half, getting all 11 of Ibiezugbe's points in the second period. Mustapha Traore (Philadephia, PA/Phelps School) grabbed eight second-half boards as MU got within 23 several times. MU ultimately won the period by a 41-35 margin.

Cal State Fullerton opened the game on a 9-0 run, and got 29 first-half points from Khalil Ahmad in taking a 52-22 lead to the locker room. Ray Salnave's (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) jumper trimmed the deficit to 10 with 6:44 to go in the half but the Titans responded with an 11-2 run.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Tough weekend for us and a tough start to the season for us. My kids are really fragile right now and we're just trying to do small things. We lost the first half by 30 and won the second half by six, so we need to find small things. We're not believing in each other and we just need to work hard to try to get it turned around." – Head Coach King Rice

-Sam Ibiezugbe knocked in a career-high 11 points, his first career game in double-figures.
-Melik Martin posted his fourth career double-digit effort.
-Deion Hammond scored in double figures for the fifth time in six games.
-Mustapha Traore grabbed the most rebounds for a Hawk this season with nine.
-Monmouth took on Cal State Fullerton for the first time ever, and played a Big West opponent for the first time since playing UC Santa Barbara in 1993.
-MU returned to the starting lineup used in the first two games of the season, with Marcus McClary replacing Louie Pillari.
-Monmouth concludes the 2018 Myrtle Beach Invitational in 8th place with a record of 0-3.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth shot 82.8% from the foul line.
-MU won the second half 41-35.
-The Hawks hit a season low three triples.
-Khalil Ahmad had a game-high 40 points for the Titans.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth returns home for the first time since opening night next Saturday when they take on Princeton at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN+.