-The teams have played 17 times as MAAC opponents, with Monmouth winning one more than Rider. Each program has one MAAC Tournament win each.
-The teams are separated by nine total points (1,267-1,258 Monmouth) in MAAC games since the Hawks joined the league.
-Monmouth is 4-4 in Lawrenceville as a MAAC foe.
-Rider leads the all-time series 31-24, with the teams competing as rivals in the 1990's in the NEC.
 

THE TWO SEED
With results across the league yesterday and with the MAAC using a "total wins" tiebreaker this season due to COVID-19 and everyone playing an uneven amount of games, Monmouth is locked into the #2 seed at the upcoming MAAC Tournament. It marks the fifth time in eight seasons under King Rice in the MAAC that the Hawks have earned a first-round bye. MU missed the bye in its first year in the league, in 2017-18, and in 2018-19, that season becoming the first team in MAAC history to finish above .500 in conference play and not earn a bye.

PAPAS IS COLD BLOODED

George Papas knocked in 17 points yesterday against Rider, none bigger than his game-winning three with 26.3 seconds to go in overtime. The senior also made a wild reverse layup earlier in the extra session, and in total, converted three triples in the contest.

LOOK OUT FOR MELIK

Melik Martin made his first eight field goal attempts Thursday at Rider en route to netting 10 of 12, tying him for 10th in program history in single-game field goal percentage at 83.3%. Dave Calloway also was 10-12 in February 1989 against Robert Morris, as was Fernando Sanders the same month vs. Loyola (Md.). Martin posted a career-high with 24 points, while his 10 made field goals was also a career best mark.

MARCUS MCCLARY CONTRIBUTES EVERYWHERE

Senior guard Marcus McClary has made his mark everywhere across the floor in his four seasons, and yesterday posted his third career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 boards also matched his career-best. McClary hit a pair of free throws in the final minute of regulation to tie the game and ultimately force overtime, and opened the game by scoring MU's first four points.

THESE SENIORS

For the second time this season on 3/4 at Rider, all four of Monmouth's seniors scored in double figures, accounting for 67 of 77 MU points.. In the February 6 win over Manhattan, all four Monmouth seniors scored in double-figures and accounted for 52 of the 71 points in the victory. For the season, Monmouth's four seniors (Hammond, Papas, Martin, McClary) have scored 891 of MU's 1,396 total points. All three Hawks averaging double digits are seniors, while McClary is the teams leading rebounder.

ERASE THAT STAT
Monmouth's senior class picked up its first ever win in Lawrenceville yesterday, and over the course of their four seasons, now have a road victory in every MAAC venue. The win snapped a three-game drought for MU at Alumni Gymnasium, dating back to February 6, 2017, when Justin Robinson dropped 25 and Chris Brady posted a double-double in a victory.

OVERTIME CREW

Monmouth went to 3-0 in overtime this season with the win at Rider Thursday. Trailing by nine with 3:30 to go, the Hawks forced OT and won in the extra session. The Hawks also beat Manhattan on 2/6 in OT after the Jaspers tied it late, and 1/15 against Quinnipiac when a frantic comeback culminated in McClary beating the buzzer with a baseline jumper to force five more minutes.

MELIK MARTIN PLAYING HIS BEST BALL
Melik Martin is has three double-doubles in the last six games, and posted a career-high 24 points yesterday. He was named the MAAC Player of the Week following the Manhattan series in which he was a half rebound shy of averaging a double-double for the two games. He posted a double-double in the second game with 14 and 10 after going for 18 and nine the prior night. He is coming off his first career double-double on 1/30 against Niagara with 14 points and 11 rebounds. In the last 10 games, he has scored in double figures nine times (and netted nine points in the one he fell short of doubles vs. Quinnipiac), and is averaging 16 points, 7.3 rebounds, has 17 steals and is shooting 50.8% from the field. Martin has made a whopping 67 field goals in the last 11 contests, including 16 triples, and has blocked four shots while dishing out 18 assists.

HAMMOND BREAKS THREE-POINT RECORD
Deion Hammond set the Monmouth career record for made three pointers on February 6 at Manhattan, when he knocked in a three as the shot clock expired at the 6:01 mark of the second half. His 261st three moved him past Dave Calloway on the all-time list, with Calloway as the only player to hold the record previously as he was part of the program right at the introduction of the three-point line. Calloway held the record for 30 years before Hammond moved past him.