WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Ray Salnave (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) and Marcus McClary (Linden, NJ/The Patrick School) both posted double-doubles and Deion Hammond (Mitchellville, MD/Riverdale Baptist School) notched 22 points as Monmouth University Men's Basketball (11-7, 5-2 MAAC) won its seventh straight at home over Niagara University (6-12, 4-3 MAAC) Friday, 82-71.

After a James Towns finish put Niagara up one, Monmouth ripped off a 10-0 run to regain the advantage. Marcus Hammond's four-point play at 10:30 got the Purple Eagles within two, but Monmouth answered that as well, this time with a 14-6 run including four triples from three different players to regain the 10-point lead. The Hawk lead wouldn't be less than nine again, as MU rolled to its seventh straight home win.

Monmouth leapt to a 20-5 lead, getting contributions from six players including nine Hammond tallies during the run. Leading 24-9, Monmouth allowed Niagara to put together a 13-0 run to get within two, and later a mini-spurt from the Purple Eagles has them in front at the 2:40 mark. On the final play of the half, Hammond caught a lob and dunked it to put the Hawks up one at the break, 34-33.

NOTES AND QUOTES

"We've been trying to play for 40 minutes and the way we started the game, I thought we were about to do it tonight but we're still young in areas and probably started to think they had this already. Niagara has a lot of young players that are believing right now, they have new energy with Coach Paulus who is just a winner. He won in high school, he won at Duke, he's won everywhere he's been so he's putting that with them and they're a tough out right now." – Head Coach King Rice

"This one feels great, especially when your teammates get you involved and get you the ball. I feel like everyone was clicking today and it was a great team effort for a win." – Guard Deion Hammond

-Monmouth had two players total double-doubles in the same game for the first time since 12/22/17 against Yale, when Austin Tilghman posted a triple double and Mustapha Traore has 10 points and 10 rebounds.
-Monmouth is one of 37 teams in the NCAA to still be unbeaten at home.
-MU matched a season high in assists with 18 for the second game in a row.
-Ray Salnave posted his first career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
-The 11 rebounds is a career best for Salnave, and nine came in the second half.
-Salnave went 11-11 from the free throw line, the most makes without a miss by a Hawk this season.
-Deion Hammond's 22 points is his 10^th career 20+ point game and sixth this season.
-Marcus McClary posted his second double-double in three games.
-McClary also tied a career best with three steals.
-Sam Chaput's five made free throws is a career best.
-All nine Hawks in the game made a field goal and scored at least three points.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth and Niagara each made 26 field goals.
-MU posted 18 assists to 10 turnovers.
-MU was better off turnovers, 16-11.
-The Hawks topped the Purple Eagles in rebounds, 44-35.
-Monmouth led for 36:47 of the game.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth heads to Iona on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. tip with the Gaels. The game will air on ESPN+ and on the Shore Sports Network.