WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.  – The Monmouth men's basketball team scored 49 first half points and defeated Stony Brook, 82-69, on Thursday night, completing the season sweep over the Seawolves.

The Hawks (15-14, 9-7) got a 25-point performance from Jason Rivera-Torres and hit a season-best 12 three-pointers, moving into a tie with the Seawolves in the standings with just two games remaining in the regular season.

The Hawks made their first four shots and eight of their first 11, racing out to an early 20-7 lead, forcing a Stony Brook timeout less than eight minutes into play. Out of the timeout, Dok Muordar scored four straight before Jack Collins connected with three to put Monmouth up 27-9, prompting another timeout from the Seawolves with 10:59 to play in the half.

The onslaught from deep continued, as Collins, Rivera-Torres and Justin Ray each hit from beyond the arc and the Hawks were up 40-18 with six and a half minutes on the first-half clock.

Andrew Ball came off the bench late in the period and scored six in a row, giving him nine in the game, helping Monmouth go into the halftime break up 49-35. The Hawks connected on eight three-pointers and made 60.6 percent of their shots in the opening 20 minutes.

Stony Brook started the second half, outscoring Monmouth 12-6 to get back within eight, 55-47. The two teams continued to battle before the Seawolves got within five, 59-54 with 9:29 to play. Rivera-Torres hit back-to-back threes to push the lead back to 11 with seven and a half minutes to play.

Sparked by Rivera-Torres' 17 second-half points, the Hawks closed out an 82-69 victory

Notes

• Jason Rivera-Torres scored a team-best 25 points, his ninth game of the season reaching at least 20 points.
• Rivera-Torres hit five three-pointers, which is a new season-best. The Bronx native also had six rebounds, four assists and a block.
• This is Rivera-Torres' second game this season with at least 25 points, six rebounds and four assists, becoming the first Monmouth player to do it twice. He is the first Hawk to reach those marks in the same game since Ray Salnave in 2018.
• Kavion McClain scored 15 points and grabbed a season-best six rebounds and dished six assists. McClain has double figures in five of his six games this season.
• Andrew Ball scored 11 points off the bench, reaching double figures for the 10th time in conference play.
• Monmouth hit 12 three-pointers, its most in a game this season.
• The Hawks shot 52.5 percent from the field, its highest percentage in a game since Jan. 24 against Campbell.
• Monmouth's 49 first-half points were its most in a half in conference play this season. The only half the Hawks scored more in was 54 in the first half of the season opener against Caldwell.
• The 61% shooting in the first half was its highest in a half since shooting 62.5 percent in the second half against Campbell on Jan. 24.
• The Hawks' eight first-half three-pointers are a season high for a half.
• The Hawks shot over 50 percent in a half for the first time since Feb. 12 at Drexel.
• Monmouth earned the season sweep over Stony Brook with the victory and has won five straight matchups against the Seawolves.
• This is the third time in the last five games the Hawks have hit at least 11 threes.

Up Next

• Monmouth will close out its home schedule on Saturday, welcoming Elon on Senior Day. Tipoff from the OceanFirst Bank Center is set for 3 p.m. and the Hawks will honor seniors Jack Collins, Kavion McClain, Andrew Ball and Dok Muordar before the game.