IT'S OPENING NIGHT
The Hawks are 12-23 on opening night in 35 seasons since becoming a Division I program in 1983-84. Under King Rice, MU is 5-3 in the first game of the season, getting wins over Hofstra in 2012 and 2013 along with a victory over UCLA in 2015. MU hits the road to open the season for the first time since 2015, a win at UCLA. King Rice is 2-2 in road openers, with three of the four contests coming against high-major programs. His first ever game as the Hawks head coach came in a loss to Villanova in 2011 before topping Hofstra to open the 2013 season. A tight loss at West Virginia in 2014 and a monumental victory at UCLA in 2015 mark the other times Rice has started his group away from home.

MAAC PRESEASON
Monmouth was chosen to finish fourth in the MAAC by the league's head coaches. MU was five points behind third-se- lected Quinnipiac and two points clear of the fifth selection, Manhattan. Ray Salnave and Deion Hammond were selected to the conference's Preseason Second Team after finishing just four points apart from each other overall a season ago. Salnave led MU with 11.9 points per game with Hammond checking in at 11.8, while the latter led MU in made threes with 74.

WHAT THE HAWKS LOST
The Hawks had four players on last year's roster that will not return this season, with that group accounting for 23.0% of the Hawks scoring. The biggest loss was All-MAAC Third Team choice Diago Quinn, who led MU in rebounding and blocks while becoming the all-time games played leader in Hawks history. Nick Rutherford left via transfer after leading the Hawks in steals, while Trevon Gross (out of eligibility) and Dave Calloway Jr. are no longer on the roster.

WHAT THE HAWKS RETURN
Monmouth returns its top two scorers and four of the first five. Of the 11 players coming back for the Blue and White, eight of them have at least two years of experience in the program and will be juniors or higher entering the season. Mustapha Traore is the only Hawk coming back that started every single game a season ago.

WHAT THE HAWKS BROUGHT IN
Four new players join the MU roster this season, including three freshmen in Gob Gabriel, Jarvis Vaughan and Jake Glezen as well as transfer guard Donovann Toatley. Gabriel was an All-NEPSAC Second Team choice out of New Hamp- shire, scoring over 20 points per game. His brother, Wenyen, played against the Hawks in 2017 as a member of the University of Kentucky and is now with the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Vaughan comes off a prep year at Massanutten Military Academy, and prior to that was the Virginia 2A State Player of the Year at Robert E. Lee HS. Glezen was a NEPSAC Class A All New England pick at Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut at power forward, and Toatley scored in double digits last season at Chattanooga. He led the Mocs in assists and shot over 42% from the field. Toatley was high school teammates at Riverdale Baptust with Deion Hammond.

ANOTHER TOUGH NON-CONFERENCE
Of Monmouth's 11 non-conference opponents, six of them were picked in the top-five of their respective league's pre- season polls with three chosen to win their conference. Kansas was picked to win the Big 12, while Hofstra was the top pick in the CAA and Radford was the Big South leader. Six of 11 won 20 or more games last year, and four competed in major national postseason tournaments (NCAA/NIT).

NUMBER CHANGE
After playing his first two seasons in #11, junior guard George Papas will wear #5 for the Blue and White this season. Papas becomes the fourth Hawk in five seasons to wear #5, joining Deon Jones, Ray Salnave, and Nick Rutherford.

BRINGING IN SIZE
Monmouth is one of just six teams nationwide to tout a freshman class with an average height of 6'8" or more. Illinois and Utah State come in at an average of 6'10", with Army West Point at 6'9". MU is tied with Georgetown and Tennessee in bringing in a freshman class averaging 6'8".

@MonmouthBBall || #FlyHawks