CHAMPAIGN, IL – Monmouth University Men's Basketball (0-3) got double-figure scoring efforts from two freshmen in Andrew Ball and Jack Collins, but were defeated by 23^rd-ranked University of Illinois (3-0) Monday night at the State Farm Center, 103-65.
 
Monmouth lost the second half by just eight points, with Collins scoring eight times in the period and eight different Hawks registering points in the half. Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr. finished with a game-high 30 points to lead all scorers.
 
After an 8-0 spurt from Illinois to open the game, Monmouth battled back, getting within 14-9 on Jakari Spence's first career three from the wing. Illinois used several runs to widen the margin, with Terrence Shannon, Jr. finishing with 21 in the period. Ball netted 10 opening-half points, his first career double-digit scoring game, on a pair of threes, including one in the closing seconds of the half.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"This schedule is a little hard for my kids, we do this every year but this year we don't have many upperclassmen. For this to be the third one, Illinois is huge and they come at you in so many different ways, just the wear and tear on our bodies after three in a row is too much. All the credit to them, we'll bounce back. We've started this way before and we ended up playing for a championship, we're going to keep fighting." – Head Coach King Rice

-This marked the first time in program history that Monmouth played back-to-back ranked teams.
-Jack Holmstrom made his first career start in his home state of Illinois.
-Holmstrom's five points marked a career best.
-Andrew Ball netted 10 first-half points, his first career double-digit scoring game, finishing with 13.
-Jack Collins scored 12 points, his first career double-figure scoring contest.
-Ball and Collins' double-figure efforts are the first double-figure games for a true freshman since Myles Foster on February 20, 2021 at Iona.
-This marked the first time two Monmouth true freshmen scored in double figures in the same game since February 4, 2018 against Niagara (Deion Hammond and Melik Martin).  
-Jakari Spence scored a career-best eight points, including knocking in his first career three pointer.
-Jack Collins three assists marked his most in his first three games.
-Myles Ruth dished out five assists, one off a career-best.
-65 points is MU's season high.
-Monmouth shot 42.9% from the field and 37.5% from downtown, both season bests.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth shot 42.9% and 37.5% from three.
-Five players in the game scored in double-figures, led by Shannon's 30 points for Illinois.
-Illinois shot 60% and 77% in the first half.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth's home opener is Thursday night against Norfolk State at 7:00 p.m. The game will air on SNY.