Elon, NC – Monmouth University Men's Basketball led Elon University in the second half and got 22 points from Abdi Bashir Jr., but ultimately fell to the Phoenix Thursday night at Schar Center, 83-71.
 
Trailing by 12, MU scored nine in a row, and after the deficit climbed back to seven, The Hawks scored the next seven to tie the game at 51 with 11:28 to go. Down by one, Bashir nailed a three to give Monmouth the lead, and Madison Durr followed with a basked to make it a four-point lead. MU was in front with 3:46 to play, and the game was tied with 2:06 before Elon made four straight free throws, eventually sealing the game at the foul line.
 
Monmouth led 10-5 after Jack Collins made his first three shots from beyond the arc, and a Collins three put the Hawks up 17-16 at 10:45. Elon scored 12 of the next 14 to lead by 10, holding that lead for the rest of the period to take a 12-point lead to the locker room.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"We really battled back, that was our best fight of the year. Unfortunate one for us today." – Head Coach King Rice
 
-Abdi Bashir posted his his 13^th 20-point game this season.
-Jack Collins' 16 points was his seventh game in double figures and third highest scoring game of the season.
-Collins' four steals was a season high and the most by a Hawk in a game this year.
-Jordan Meka posted his first points since November 22.
-Meka's two blocks tied a season high.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth had 10 assists to Elon's nine.
-MU was better from three, 33% to 27%.
-The game featured six ties and eight lead changes.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth visits William & Mary Saturday to conclude a four-game road trip. That game tips at 2:00 pm and airs on FloCollege, and on the radio via the Monmouth Digital Network and the Varsity Network app.