Bethlehem, PA – Monmouth University Men's Basketball dropped a non-conference contest Wednesday night at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, PA to Lehigh University, 90-63. Abdi Bashir Jr. led the way with 22 points for the Blue and White.
 
Lehigh used an early second half run to lead by 20, and held off the Hawks the rest of the way, ultimately winning by a 90-63 score.
 
Lehigh led by as many as 19 in the first half, going up 33-14, but Monmouth closed strong, scoring the final five points to trim the deficit to 12 going to the locker room. MU was paced in the half by double-figure scoring from Abdi Bashir Jr. and Jack Collins.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"Give Lehigh a lot of credit. Brett's a good coach, he's been here 18 years and he knows what he's doing. He watched, he took advantage of our guys not playing defense." – Head Coach King Rice
 
-Abdi Bashir topped 20 points for the sixth time this season.
-Jack Collins scored in double digits for the third game in a row.
-Madison Durr posted his sixth double-figure scoring game this season.
-After opening the year with 26 consecutive makes, Abdi Bashir missed his first free throw this season in the second half.
-MU started the same lineup for the second consecutive game.
-Monmouth and Lehigh met for the fourth season in a row.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
 
-Monmouth had eight steals to Lehigh's five.
-MU had 16 offensive rebounds to Lehigh's six.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth visits Princeton next Tuesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m. That game will air on ESPN+ and on the radio on the Monmouth Digital Network.