Stony Brook, NY – Five Hawks scored in double figures, including 15 from Cornelius Robinson III, as Monmouth University Men's Basketball took care of Stony Brook University on the road Thursday, 79-69. MU dished out a season-high 22 assists in the 10-point win.
 
Leading by 10 early in the second half, Stony Brook got that down to one in less than sic minutes but two separate 6-0 runs from MU had the lead back to nine. Abdi Bashir Jr. scored at the rim with 5:56 to go to push the lead to nine again, but the Seawolves scored the next six to trim it to three with 1:47 to go. Madison Durr then provided the heroics, converting two three-point plays just 24 seconds apart to seal the win, 79-69.  
 
In a one-point game, Monmouth ripped off eight in a row and 15 of 18 to lead by 13 at 7:53 on a Jaret Valencia dunk. Justin Ray's three at the 6:00 mark gave the Hawks their largest lead of the opening half, 35-21, and after Stony Brook got it down to six, MU scored seven of the final nine points to lead 42-31 at the break.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"We feel like we're still getting better. Andrew Ball gets us going today, we're just a group that needs to stay together, down the stretch we did what we had to do." – Head Coach King Rice
 
"Coach always says take the punch and keep rolling with it and we did and got it done, that was great. The coaches have instilled so much confidence in me and so have the players, I'm getting lost in the game and I think it's really helping me. I'm coming off the bench trying to provide an energy spike and I'm playing well." – Junior Andrew Ball
 
-Monmouth sweeps the season series with Stony Brook.
-Monmouth dished out a season best 22 assists, the most since having 22 in the CAA Tournament win over Stony Brook last season.
-Abdi Bashir had a career-high seven assists, the most by a Hawk in a game this season.
-Andrew Ball's 14 points marked a season-high and was just two points off his career-best.
-Bashir's first three moved him solely into second-place on the program's single-season three pointers list. He now has 99, four shy of tying George Papas' program record.
-Five Hawks scored in double figures for the second time this season and first since January 11 vs. Charleston
-Monmouth is now 5-0 when shooting over 50% as a team.
-Jack Collins tied a career-high with six assists.
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outshot Stony Brook, 51% to 42%.
-MU led for 35:56 and did not trail in the second half.
-The Hawks dominated off the bench, 26-5.
-Monmouth had 36 points in the paint to Stony Brook's 26.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth visits Towson Saturday at 2:00 p.m. on FloCollege and on the radio via the Monmouth Digital Network and the Varsity Network App.