Newark, NJ – Abdi Bashir Jr. had 28 points on six triples as Monmouth University Men's Basketball stunned Seton Hall University Saturday, 63-51. The win marked MU's first this season and first ever over the Pirates, and the 10^th high-major victory for MU under King Rice.
 
Monmouth burst into the second half with a 10-2 run, sparked by an early Jack Collins three and five straight Jaret Valencia points to lead 39-29. SHU would get within four, but Cornelius Robinson III scored twice in under a minute and Collins followed with his second three of the half to extend the lead to 11. Seton Hall was never within single digits again, with Bashir knocking home three jumpers in the final seven minutes as the Hawks rolled to a 63-51 win.
 
Monmouth led 6-3, but the home team took a 12-8 lead before a 7-0 Hawks run had MU up 15-12. Bashir then netted three triples in 2:18 to put the Hawks up seven, and after two Pirates baskets, Bashir was back at it, hitting a three and a transition reverse layup to make it 26-18 Monmouth. Seton Hall regained a 27-26 lead before Bashir sent MU to the break up 29-27 with a late corner three.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"We got better this week. I have a great group of young men in my locker room. When you have guys like Abdi, and Jaret, and Jack Collins, and Boog Robinson, and everyone else, we just have to keep getting better and these guys will carry us." – Head Coach King Rice
 
"Coach Rice believes in me more than I believe in myself. Nobody else will ever have me like he's got me. He's probably the best coach I've ever had." – Abdi Bashir Jr.
 
-Monmouth beat its 10^th high-major since 2015
-MU topped Seton Hall for the first time ever in 16 tries
-The Hawks beat a Big East team for the first time ever (Georgetown, 2015)
-Abdi Bashir made six threes for the second time this season
-Bashir's 28 points was a game high and his third highest output this season
-Jack Collins scored in double figures for the second game in a row and third time this season
-Jaret Valencia scored in double digits for the third time this season
-Valencia's four blocks is the most by a Hawk in a game this season
-Madison Durr set a career-high with four steals
-Dok Muordar made his second career start and first as a Hawk
-Corey Miller saw first-half action for the first time this season
-Monmouth shot a season-high 47.6% from three
-MU allowed a season-low 51 points

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outshot Seton Hall 46% to 36%
-MU doubled up Seton Hall from three, 48% to 24%
-The Hawks were better on the glass, 34-28
-Monmouth beat SHU off turnovers, 19-9
-The Hawks topped the Pirates on the move, 9-2
-Monmouth led for 31:25 of the 40 minutes
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth visits Lehigh on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+ and the Monmouth Digital Network on the radio.