WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Samuel Chaput (Longueuil, Quebec/Saint Anthony's (TX)) knocked in a career-best 18 points, and Ray Salnave (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) netted 23 points as Monmouth University Men's Basketball (8-6, 2-1 MAAC) never trailed in beating Canisius College (5-10, 0-4 MAAC) Friday night, 84-65.

The Monmouth second half lead grew to 16 in the early stages after a Chaput layup, but the Griffs came charging shortly thereafter with a 7-0 run to make it an eight-point game. The Hawks responded with the next six to go back up 16, but ultimately a three from Majesty Brandon cut it back to a 10-point lead with 6:00 to go. Immediately, Salnave knocked home consecutive threes within 30 seconds of each other to restore the lead and a personal 5-0 spurt from George Papas (Jersey City, NJ/Union Catholic) put the Blue and White up 20 before eventually winning by 19.

In a game tied at seven, the Hawks went on a 9-0 run spurred by a Chaput three and baskets from Hammond and Salnave and held the nine-point lead the majority of the half. Late in the period, Chaput and Jacco Fritz traded threes but Salnave knocked in a buzzer-beating triple to put MU up at the break, 38-27.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"It's a MAAC game and right now we're 2-1 so we'll definitely take it. I know I like to shoot threes and let guys get busy but I'm all about defense and when guys will impose their will, tonight was our night." – Head Coach King Rice

"My mindset when I come in is to make the other point guard as tired as I can, guard him full court and wear him down and offensively it was just clicking but my mindset is defense first. When I get my teammates involved it opens up the floor for me so when they get going, I can get going and we're very dangerous offensively when everyone gets involved, touches the ball and can score." – Sophomore guard Sam Chaput

-Samuel Chaput netted a career-high 18 points with career-bests in made field goals (7) and threes (2).
-King Rice evens his career record to exactly .500 at 139-139.
-Monmouth moves to a perfect 5-0 at home this season.
-Salnave's 23 points are two shy of a career best and a season-high for the junior.
-Salnave has now posted nine career 20+ point games, four of them this season.
-Salnave also tied a season-best with seven rebounds.
-Chaput also tied a career-high in minutes played with 33.
-Melik Martin tied his career high of eight rebounds, set in his first career game vs. Bucknell.
-George Papas had three steals for the second game in a row.
-MU forced 20+ turnovers for the second straight game, inducing a season-high 22.
-The Hawks shot 50% from the field for the first time this season, and tied a season high with 30 made field goals.
-Mustapha Traore scored in double figures for the 17^th time in his career and sixth this season.
-Traore tied a season-high with five made field goals, the fifth time he has done so.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outshot Canisius 50% to 40%.
-MU outrebounded the Griffs 35-31.
-The Hawks outran Canisius 33-8 on the fast break.
-MU was also better off turnovers, 28-16, and in the paint, 34-20.
-Canisius was led by a pair with 15 points each in Jacco Fritz and Armon Harried.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth is at Quinnipiac on Sunday for a 2:00 p.m. tip with the Bobcats in Hamden, CT. The game will air on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app as well as on the radio via the Shore Sports Network.