2021-22 Monmouth Basketball Game Twenty-Seven Preview

Monmouth Hawks (17-9, 9-6 MAAC) vs. Siena Saints (13-10, 10-5 MAAC)
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 - 7:00 p.m.
OceanFirst Bank Center, West Long Branch, NJ

TV
ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Eddy Occhipinti
Analyst: Dave Calloway

MONMOUTH COVID-19 POLICIES

Monmouth University has announced its campus-wide indoor event COVID-19 policies.
 
The following policies are in effect until further notice:

1.    All fans 18 and over are required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test administered by a doctor's office or a clinic within 72 hours of the event time for indoor Athletic events. Home test kit results will not be accepted.
2.    All event audiences must wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth of the participant. Face shields are not acceptable. This includes fans from 2-17 years of age.
3.    Athletic events held in the OceanFirst Bank Center will be permitted to have food in the stands as long as masks remain on when the participant is not actively consuming food or beverages. Masks must be worn otherwise.
 
Men's and women's basketball season ticket holders will be mailed (and emailed) instructions on how to obtain a vaccine credential which will require them to show their vaccine cards once and receive a credential to speed up entrance to events. Season ticket holders who are not vaccinated will need to show proof a negative test within 72 hours of the event for every event attended.
 
Additionally, there will be separate entrances for students, season ticket holders and the general public. More information on those locations will be available on MonmouthHawks.com.

QUICK BULLETS

-Monmouth is playing its second of three consecutive home contests
-This marks the first meeting of the season between MU and Siena
-Monmouth has won seven of its last 10
-This is the final MAAC team Monmouth has yet to play this season
-MU will play Siena twice in the next three games, just five days apart
-Shavar Reynolds returned from injury last time out to lead MU in scoring
-Nikkei Rutty comes off a 13-rebound game in which he didn't attempt a FG
-MU's four fifth-year seniors are all scoring over 9 ppg
-George Papas has earned two MAAC Player of the Week honors this season while Shavar Reynolds has one
-George Papas was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List

A MONMOUTH WIN WOULD...
-mark Monmouth's 18th win of the season
-be the 179th win of King Rice's career, passing Dave Calloway for second all-time in program history and the most in Division I history at Monmouth
-be the Hawks eighth win at home this season
-be the Hawks eighth win in the last 11 games
-move the Hawks four games over .500 in MAAC play at 10-6
-make Monmouth the second MAAC team to 18 overall victories (Iona)
-give MU the 1-0 season series lead over Siena
-make Monmouth 5-2 in February
-be MU's 13th win all time against the Saints
-snap a four-game losing streak to Siena
-lock up at least a .500 record in MAAC play for the fourth straight year and seventh of eight

NOTES FROM THE LAST TIME OUT...
-King Rice picked up his 178th career win, tying the program record for Division I wins by a head coach with Dave Calloway.
He is tied with Calloway for second in the program's all-time history behind Bill Boylan (364 wins).
-Nikkei Rutty's 13 rebounds marked his sixth double-digit rebounding contest of the season and 12th game with eight or more boards this year.
-Myles Foster posted his fifth career double-figure game with 10 points.
-Foster tied his career best with eight rebounds, set earlier this year at St. John's.
-Monmouth has now won three in a row over Rider.
-Seven turnovers is MU's second lowest in a game this season.
-Shavar Reynolds led MU with 17 points in his first game back after missing the last two.
-MU won on the glass, 45-39.
-The Hawks had 17 offensive rebounds for the second straight game, their season best.
-MU limited Rider to just 20% from three (3-15).
-Monmouth was better in the paint, 26-20.
-The game featured five ties and 10 lead changes.

MORE INFO ON THE ALL-TIME SERIES
-Monmouth leads the all-time series 12-8
-Monmouth leads the series as DI opponents 12-7
-The series is 11-6 Monmouth as MAAC foes
-MU is 6-2 all-time in West Long Branch against the Saints
-Siena has won the last four in the series
-This is the first of two meetings this the season between the teams
-MU won four in row between 2018 and 2019
-This is the 21st meeting all-time between the schools
-Between 2015 and 2019, Monmouth won 10 of 11
-The teams will meet again at Siena this Sunday for the second time in five days to close out the regular season series