HEMPSTEAD, NY – Monmouth battled at Hofstra all 40 minutes, putting three in double figures led by a career-best 22-point effort from Ray Salnave (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo). Justin Wright-Foreman's three-point play with 16 seconds remaining proved to be the difference as Hofstra survived at the Mack Sports Complex Wednesday, 75-73.

Hofstra led by five with 5:54 to go before a Mustapha Traore (Philadelphia, PA/Phelps School) three-point play got MU within two. Monmouth would eventually tie the game with four minutes left on another three-point chance, this one from Diago Quinn (New York, NY/Lake Forest Academy) before Salnave scored twice to put the Hawks in front, the latter with 31 seconds to go on a strong drive to the bucket. Wright-Foreman converted a three-point play with 16 seconds to go to make it 75-73 Hofstra, and Louie Pillari's (Tinton Falls, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) potential game-winning three came up just short.

The game opened with one whistle in the first 6:02, with the teams both scoring at a high rate. Hofstra made seven in a row after missing their first shot, and Monmouth opened up 7-9. Neither team separated by more than four points, with one brief exception. Jalen Ray's three made it 40-35 Hofstra at 2:43, but 23 seconds later, Salnave and Hammond hit consecutive threes to give MU the lead back. Tarqu Coburn canned a corner three in the waning seconds of the opening half to give the home team a slim two-point edge headed to the locker room.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Our team showed a lot of fight. Our kids are great kids still, every day we come to work and we work, and tonight we got beat by a very good Hofstra team. It comes down to the last possession of the game and their kid made it." – Head Coach King Rice
-Ray Salnave scored a career-best 22 points, his second career 20+ point game.
-Diago Quinn scored a season-high 13 points, his ninth career contest in double digits.
-Monmouth's 43 first-half points were their most in any half this season.
-Ray Salnave posted his 17^th career game in double figures, and fifth this season.
-Deion Hammond made four first-half triples, tying a season-high in the opening 20 minutes.
-Hammond worked into double digits for the seventh time this year and 27^th time in his young career.
-Monmouth's 28 made field goals and eight made three-pointers were both season highs.
-The Hawks shot over 50% for the first time this season.
-Each team's leading scorer, Ray Salnave and Justin Wright-Foreman, played all 40 minutes.
-Salnave is the first Hawk to play all 40 minutes in regulation since Justin Robinson in the 2017 NIT against Ole Miss. The last Hawk to do so in the regular season was also Robinson, doing so on January 16, 2017 at Canisius.
-Nikkei Rutty made his first career start, becoming the first Hawk to start as a big as a true freshman since Diago Quinn at Niagara on December 6, 2015.
-Rutty is the first MU true freshman to start since Deion Hammond in last year's MAAC Tournament against Saint Peter's.
-Monmouth is now 6-3 against Hofstra all-time.
-This marked MU's first trip to Hofstra since an 88-84 win on November 8, 2013. The Hawks were led that night by 19 points and six assists from current Director of Basketball Operations Josh James.
-A pair of high school teammates matched up in the game, as Ray Salnave competed against Hofstra's Tareq Coburn for the first time.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth limited Hofstra to 30 points on 33% shooting in the second half.
-The Hawks outrebounded Hofstra 29-27.
-MU topped the Pride in points in the paint by a whopping 28-4 count, and outscored Hofstra's bench 24-11.
-The game featured 18 lead changes and eight ties.
-MU outshot Hofstra 50.9% to 44.9%.
-Hofstra took 26 foul shots to Monmouth's 12.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth heads to Albany to play the Great Danes on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.