LEWISTON, NY – The Monmouth University Men's Basketball team (8-5, 8-4 MAAC) picked up a split on the Western New York swing, falling at Niagara University (7-9, 6-8 MAAC) 83-74 Saturday afternoon. Melik Martin (York, PA/York Catholic) posted his first career double-double with 4 points and 11 rebounds, while Donovann Toatley (Largo, MD/Riverdale Baptist School/Chattanooga) led the Hawks with 17 points off the bench.

MU was within four multiple times in the first portion of the second half, but Niagara used a pair of three pointers during a 10-0 run to lead by 21. The Hawks continued to fight, whittling the lead as close as eight in the final minutes but it was not enough.

Niagara used an 11-0 run in the opening half to lead by 12, but Toatley and Gob Gabriel (Manchester, NH/Bradford Christian Academy) from beyond the arc, with Toatley knocking in three first-half triples. MU hit three triples in less than two minutes, capped by a Martin long ball that cut the deficit to three. The teams were within a possession for the bulk of the rest of the half before a 7-1 Purple Eagles run sent them to the locker room with a six-point lead.

NOTES AND QUOTES

"Give Niagara all the credit. Greg and his group did a great job today really being physical and we didn't handle it that great. Their kids were more together today and that usually happens after you get beat on your home floor so that was going to have them regrouped. You expected them to come back strong." – King Rice

-Melik Martin posted his first career double-double, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 boards were also a career best.
-Deion Hammond surpassed the 1,500-point mark, the seventh Hawk in the program's DI history to do so.
-Gob Gabriel's eight first-half points tied his career high.
-Donovann Toatley posted his highest career total as a Hawk, netting 17 points off the bench.
-George Papas scored in double digits for the 22^nd time in his career and ninth this year.
-Hammond hit his 258^th career three, putting him alone in second place passing Justin Robinson.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth was outshot 51.9% to 40%.
-The Hawks made 10 threes to Niagara's seven.
-MU was better on second-chance points, 19-6.
-The Purple Eagles were led by 25 points from Kobi Nwandu.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth will take on Manhattan on Friday night at 9:00 p.m. on ESPNU, and on the radio via the Monmouth Digital Network.