LEWISTON, NY – Monmouth University Men's Basketball (14-11, 8-6 MAAC) got a season-high 14 points from Melik Martin (York, PA/York Catholic) to lead three in double figures but were edged late by Niagara University (9-16, 7-7 MAAC) at the Gallagher Center Sunday, 77-72.

MU led by eight in the early portion of the half after a Deion Hammond (Mitchellville, MD/Riverdale Baptist School) alley oop, but Niagara's hot three-point shooting got them back in it and ultimately put them up at 16:27. The Purple Eagles lead extended as wide as six, but triples from Martin and Louie Pillari (Tinton Falls, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) preceded a three-point opportunity from Nikkei Rutty (New Rochelle, NY/Trinity-Pawling) to put the Hawks back up. With 2:55 remaining in a tie game, Ray Salnave (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) put the Hawks on top on a breakaway but Niagara would score the next six to regain the advantage, ultimately winning by five.

Niagara jumped to a six-point lead, but three consecutive and-one opportunities got MU back in it, with the Hawks taking their first lead at 9:49 on a Martin take to the rim. Neither team led by more than one possession, and Greg Kuakamensah's dunk at 6:08 tied it at 24. MU followed that with a 12-2 run that featured a Salnave three and baskets from five different players to put MU up 10. James Towns scored the final four points of the period to cut into the Hawk lead, making it 36-30 at the half.

NOTES AND QUOTES

"You have to play for 40 minutes. We had the ball at half court up two, we got stripped, we came back down, called a play and had the ball right under the basket before we bobble it out of bounds. The game was over right then, because that can't happen at crunch time. Give Niagara all the credit, they outplayed us in the second half." – Head Coach King Rice

-Melik Martin posted a season-high 14 points in his third double-digit effort of the season.
-Monmouth splits the season series with Niagara.
-George Papas scored in double figures for the second game in a row, and averaged 22 points per game this weekend.
-Deion Hammond extended his double-digit scoring streak to 11 games and 19 of his last 20.
-Ray Salnave's nine-game double-digit scoring streak was snapped, finishing one point shy with nine.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outrebounded Niagara 36-35.
-The Hawks led in bench points 37-16 and points off turnovers 20-10.
-MU shot 41.8% to Niagara's 49%.
-Marcus Hammond was the games leading scorer with 26.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth is at Maiist on Friday night for a 7:00 p.m. tip. The game will air on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app as well as on the radio via the Shore Sports Network.