LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – For the third time in six seasons, Monmouth University Men's Basketball (12-7, 12-6 MAAC) captured the MAAC Regular Season Title, doing so by posting the most wins in the league with 12. MU defeated Rider 65-62 Friday behind a career-high 15 points from Marcus McClary (Linden, NJ/The Patrick School) and 17 points from Deion Hammond (Mitchellville, MD/Riverdale Baptist School).

The Hawks wrapped up their 12^th win and officially claimed a share of the 2021 MAAC Regular Season crown later in the evening when Canisius topped Siena, 76-75 in Loudonville. It is the third title for King Rice and the third for MU in six seasons, with the previous two coming consecutively in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Rider led by six after scoring the second half's first basket before Monmouth went on a 15-3 run to lead by six. Rider answered with a 10-0 push to take four-point lead, and the teams went back and forth until things were knotted up into the final media timeout. Hammond took a corner feed and canned a triple at 2:39 to put MU up, and the Hawks answered Rider baskets by converting free throws. In a one-point game, the Hawks ran several seconds off the clock before freshman Myles Ruth (Hillside, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) got to the line with 5.6 seconds remaining and made both. Rider missed a pair of foul shots the other way, and the Hawks left Lawrenceville with a series sweep.

MU scored the first four points for the second day in a row, but Rider countered that with a 13-2 push to lead by seven. Monmouth had a run of their own in them, a 13-3 one to be exact, to take the lead before Rider scored eight straight and eventually took a four-point edge to the intermission.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"I didn't even realize, the kids told me last night that our seniors hadn't won here yet, so that was huge for them last night. And then to get the sweep, I thought Kevin's team played extremely well. It's hard to do this late in the year, Senior Day, and I thought they played well. We just got it done down the stretch. A lot of guys made big time plays. I was super impressed with Deion's rebound late, we had the seniors play most of the game and they did tremendous. At this late in the season, the kids know what they're supposed to do. They know what I've been coaching them to do and the older guys do it, so late in the game you keep them on the floor and most of the time they come through for you." – King Rice
 
"I told the guys we just have five more games to go and then we'll be the champs, and everyone just followed suit. I'm proud of everybody. We played hard and won two rivalry games at Rider, going to AC with two wins. Our confidence has been high the whole season, really. Now in AC we know what to do and now it's time to take care of business." – Marcus McClary
 
-Monmouth won its third MAAC regular season title, all under King Rice and all coming in the last six seasons.
-Monmouth enters the MAAC Tournament with a first-round bye for the fifth time in eight seasons as a conference member.
-The Hawks conclude the regular season with 12 wins, the most in the MAAC.
-Monmouth sweeps Rider, and finishes the year with five sweeps in nine series.
-The Hawks shot a season high 90.5% from the foul line (19-21).
-Marcus McClary posted a career-high with 15 points.
-Melik Martin blocked three shots, a career best.
-Deion Hammond's three to put MU up to stay was his 1,600^th career point, moving him past Corey Albano for fifth all-time.
-Martin scored in double-digits for the 22^nd time in his career and 12^th this season.
-Myles Ruth tied a career-best with four made free throws.
-Monmouth won for a second straight day and the fourth time this year when trailing at the half.
-MU concludes the regular season 5-5 to post a .500 road record. The Hawks have not played a home game since January 16^th.
-Monmouth will be the #2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outshot Rider from the field, 39.6% to 39.3%.
-The teams each grabbed 38 rebounds.
-MU was better off turnovers, 13-8.
-The game featured 12 lead changes and seven ties.
-Dwight Murray led Rider with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth will head to Atlantic City for the 2021 MAAC Championships as the #2 seed. The Hawks will play on Wednesday, March 10^th, at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of the #7/#10 matchup on Tuesday.