Monmouth University opens the 2018-19 basketball season Tuesday (November 6, 8:30pm) when they host Lehigh as part of a women’s/men’s doubleheader at the OceanFirst Bank Center.

The Hawks are coming off an 11-20 season in which they tied for 8^th in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association and gone from that squad are Micah Seaborn, Austin Tilghman and Zac Tillman.  However they return 64% of their scoring from last season led by sophomore guard Deion Hammond who was named to the 2018 MAAC All-Rookie team after averaging 12ppg as a freshman.  Hammond was selected to the All-MAAC Preseason third team while the Hawks were picked to finish 5^th in the conference.  Among other returning players are guards Ray Salnave and Louie Pillari, center Diago Quinn and forward Melik Martin.  Quinn is the only returning senior of the roster.

Along with nine returning players the Hawks have brought in six newcomers, including transfers Nick Rutherford (Florida Atlantic) and Trevon Gross Jr. (University of Virginia).

Two-time conference coach of the year King Rice returns for his 8^th season in West Long Branch where he sports a career record of 117-112.

All Monmouth road games will once again be broadcast on the Shore Sports Network’s 1160/1310AM beginning with Friday’s game at Colgate.  The 19-game broadcast schedule includes a meeting with 13^th ranked West Virginia on November 15th in Conway, South Carolina and a trip to #2 Kentucky on November 28^th.  Eddy Occhipinti and Steve Bazaz will call all the action with the games also heard on shoresportsnetwork.com and on the free Shore Sports Network app. For ticket information on Monmouth home games visit www.monmouthhawks.com.