Saint Peters edges Monmouth 62-61

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Despite a game-high 22 points from Justin Robinson (Lake Katrine, N.Y./Kingston) and 17 points from Andrew Nicholas (Wrightsville, Pa./Eastern York), Monmouth dropped a 62-61 overtime decision to visiting Saint Peter’s in the MAC on Wednesday night in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action.

Justin Robinson on the court vs. Saint Peter's (Monmouth Athletics)

Monmouth, now 5-2 in the MAAC, forced overtime on Brice Kofane’s (Yaounde, Cameroon/Miller School/Providence) tip-in with 16 seconds left in regulation.

Following Kofane’s put-back, Deon Jones (Wilmington, Del./Sanford School) blocked away Trevis Wyche’s game-winning attempt with 1.1 left, and out of a timeout, Marvin Dominique’s three-pointer at the buzzer fell short, as the game went to the extra session.

In overtime, Desi Washington, who had 19 of his team-high 21 points after halftime, opened the scoring with a three-pointer, before Robinson’s triple gave Monmouth a 57-55 edge with 2:37 remaining. Thirty seconds later, Wyche responded with a trey for the Peacocks, while two Tyler Gaskins’ free throws at 1:44 put SPU ahead 60-57. Nicholas connected on a pair from the line to get the Hawks within a point, 60-59 with 1:08 on the clock, before Washington, who ended the night 11-for-11 from the line, sunk a pair to give the Peacocks a 62-59 advantage with 1:04 showing.

Robinson, who was 9-of-10 from the stripe, got the Blue & White within one again with 52.1 ticks left, and his steal with 22.5 showing gave Monmouth the final possession, but Nicholas’ wing jumper fell short in the one-point defeat.

Monmouth head coach King Rice (Monmouth Hawks)

“Saint Peter’s is a veteran group that came in here and out-executed us and out-toughed us and came out with the win,” stated head coach King Rice. “We have to get back to the drawing board and try to win some of these close games.”

Monmouth, which held Saint Peter’s without a field goal for the first 9:18 of the contest, grabbed a 9-3 advantage on an Nicholas three-pointer with 9:39 remaining in the half. Following a timeout, the Peacocks responded with a 7-0 run over the next 2:41 to take a 10-9 lead at 5:57.

Another Nicholas triple reclaimed the lead for the Hawks 20 seconds later, before a Jones wing jumper put MU ahead 14-10 with 4:52 showing. A 7-2 spurt from SPU, capped by Quadir Welton’s three-point play, gave the Peacocks a 17-16 advantage with 2:22 remaining.

Collin Stewart’s (Glenville, N.Y./Mekeel Christian Academy) basket put MU back in front 18-17 at 2:04 and two Robinson free throws pushed the Hawks ahead 22-20 with 49.5 left, but Gaskins’ second straight three-pointer allowed SPU to take a 23-22 lead into the intermission.

Sparked by a Robinson triple, and three points from Max DiLeo (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson), Monmouth built a 32-26 advantage with 14:00 left, but a 10-2 SPU run reclaimed a 36-34 lead for the Peacocks with 11:00 showing.

The Hawks retook the lead on a Nicholas three-pointer, 37-36, with 10:44 on the board, but SPU built its lead to 50-42 behind another 10-2 spurt, with 3:18 remaining. The Blue & White, sparked by seven straight points from Robinson, tied the game at 50-50 with 1:58 left, while Kofane’s tip-in sent Monmouth to its third overtime game of the year.

Monmouth shot a season-low 28.8% (17-59) from the field and turned 18 SPU turnovers into 20 points.

Robinson also contributed five rebounds and four assists, while DiLeo added eight points and a career-high eight rebounds, to go along with three assists and two steals. Kofane notched six points and seven boards for the Hawks, who fall to 8-9 overall.

Monmouth returns to action on Sunday, January 18 when the Hawks host Fairfield University in ESPN3 at 4:30 p.m., in MAAC action.