HAMILTON, NY – Monmouth took a lead into halftime and got double-digit contributions from three players, but ultimately fell at Colgate in the first road game of the season on Friday evening, 87-64. Ray Salnave (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) led MU with 16 points and Deion Hammond (Mitchellville, MD/Riverdale Baptist School) hit four more triples, finishing with 14.

MU led in the early stages of the second half and trailed by just one with 12:23 to go after a pair of free throws from Hammond following a Colgate flagrant foul. However, the Raiders scored the next 13 points to take a 14-point lead, hitting three triples in the process. MU got it back within single digits in the closing minutes but it was not enough, as Colgate held on for a 13-point win.

In a first half that featured five ties and three lead changes, Monmouth took a one-point lead into the locker room. After an early Colgate three, the Hawks ripped off the next nine points to take a 9-3 edge. After a pair of Louie Pillari (Tinton Falls, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) free throws to make it 18-12 was answered with a Colgate triple, neither team led by more than one possession the rest of the period, with MU going in up 35-34.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Obviously we're very disappointed. I thought we played a lot better today than we did the other day. I thought we competed much harder. This one's going to take a little time for us to get together and really, really stay together and figure out what combinations work the best." – Head Coach King Rice

-Ray Salnave led Monmouth in scoring for the first time this season.
-Monmouth used the same starting lineup for the second consecutive game to open the season.
-MU is now 1-3 all time against Colgate.
-Salnave scored in double figures for the 13^th time in 32 career games.
-Hammond scored into double digits for the 22^nd time in 33 career games.
-Louie Pillari netted his 13^th career double figure effort.
-MU falls to 0-2 for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign, a run of six seasons.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-The game featured eight ties and six lead changes.
-Monmouth forced eight steals on the night.
-Sam Ibiezugbe marked a +4 in limited minutes, scoring four points.
-Nick Rutherford led MU with six rebounds.
-Jordan Burns led all scorers with 30 points for Colgate.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth heads to Philadelphia on Monday night to take on St. Joe's at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.