QUEENS, NY – Monmouth University Men's Basketball (7-2) took Big East foe St. John's University (7-2) to the brink, falling by just five at Carnesecca Arena, 88-83 Thursday night. Five Hawks scored in double figures, led by Shavar Reynolds' 25 points to match his career high as MU had its seven-game winning streak snapped.
 
The contest went down to the final seconds, as MU battled back from a 14-point second-half deficit to trim it to a one-score game. Down eight at 1:12, Walker Miller knocked in a three to make it a five-point contest. MU got a stop and George Papas was fouled from beyond the arc, making all three to make it 83-81 with 53 seconds to go. The teams traded layups, and SJU missed a foul shot with 14 seconds remaining but a close play on the baseline saw the Red Storm awarded possession. St. John's was able to knock in two more foul shots and hold on for the five-point win.
 
Reynolds hit triples on his first two touches to stake MU to an early lead, and after SJU took a six-point lead, the Hawks fought back and got within one on a Samuel Chaput wing triple. With the Red Storm up eight, Reynolds knocked home two threes in 15 seconds to cut it down to two. St. John's went up by as many as nine, but a late Myles Foster layup sent the Hawks to the break down just six.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"I want to give Mike Anderson and St. John's so much credit. They were prepared and I'm sure that's probably one of their better games they played. For our guys, how physical the Big East play is, it takes a minute to get your team moving like they normally do. I'm super happy about how my kids fought in a Big East building, a few different bounces and we could win the game." – Head Coach King Rice
 
-Shavar Reynolds matched his career high with 25 points.
-Myles Foster topped his career-best in points with 13 and rebounds with eight.
-Reynolds' five triples is his most as a Hawk.
-Monmouth put five in double figures for the first time since February 23, 2020 against Quinnipiac. George Papas is the lone Hawk to score in doubles in each game.
-MU's seven-game winning streak, the longest since 2017, was snapped, as was its five-game road win streak.
-Monmouth still has not been outrebounded this season.
-Nikkei Rutty grabbed 10 rebounds for the third time this season.
-MU's 30 made field goals ties a season high.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth won the second half, 47-46.
-MU shot a better % from downtown than SJU.
-MU topped SJU in second chance points, 16-8.
-In total, 10 players scored in double figures in the game.
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth heads to Pittsburgh to take on the ACC's Panthers on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m.