Big Second Half Leads Monmouth Past Beloit on Sunday

Brown, Hill, Thomas in double figures for Scofs

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (12/08/2024) — The Monmouth College men's basketball team moved into a tie for first place in the Midwest Conference with a 2-0 start as they handed Beloit College their first conference loss 69-60 on Sunday afternoon. The Fighting Scots (5-1, 2-0) made it two home wins this week and used their defense to fuel the offense after falling behind early.

Beloit got on the board first before Cameron Thomas (Arlington, Texas) scored for the Scots. Hill tied the game at 4-4 with a layup before the visitors scored five in a row. Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois) ended the run with a bucket in the paint and then scored a second layup. Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) made two free throws and a tip-dunk by Brown cut the Beloit lead to 13-12. Beloit went on a 4-0 run before Brennen McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois) hit a baseline jumper. Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) used a 3-point play to cut the Beloit lead to 20-17 with 8:00 left in the half.

Kamran Banks (Springfield, Illinois) pulled the Scots within one with a jumper. Beloit responded with a 8-0 run to lead 28-19 before Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) made a pair of free throws. Brown and Hill also made free throws but Beloit answered with a 3-point play to lead 31-24. Hill made two more free throws and Flynn converted a layup after a steal by Taylor. That basket was Monmouth's first made field goal in 5:32. Flynn tied the game at 31 on a 3-point play with 49 seconds left in the half and neither team scored on their final possession.

Brown scored on a putback on Monmouth's first possession of the half for a 33-31 lead, the first Scots lead since 4-2. Thomas knocked down Monmouth's first 3-pointer of the game for a 36-33 lead. Brown made a free throw and found Flynn for a layup and a 39-33 lead. Brown scored the next four for Monmouth, first with a thunderous dunk on an in-bound play and then with a long jumper. Beloit went on a 4-0 run before HIll hit a 3-pointer and Thomas drove the lane for a one-handed dunk.

Banks scored in the lane to push the lead to 50-41 with just over eight minutes to play. Taylor's steal and layup extended the lead to 52-41 and Beloit called timeout with 7:48 left. Beloit scored by Hill answered with a layup and converted a free throw for the 3-point play and a 55-43 lead. Thomas hit two free throws to restore the 12-point lead and Beloit scored with 4:00 left. Beloit cut the lead to nine but Brown hit a layup as the clock ticked under two minutes. Hill answered Beloit's free throws with one of his own and Beloit made their first 3-pointer of the half after six misses. Hill buried a 3-pointer as the clock went under a minute left and the Scots led 64-54. Beloit hit a 3-pointer of their own and called timeout before fouling Thomas with 42 seconds left. Thomas made both free throws and Taylor added a free throw with 24 seconds left. Beloit cut the lead to 67-60 before Taylor made two more free throws with 7.8 seconds left for the 69-60 final score.

Brown led the Scots with 18 points while Hill added 17 and Thomas had 11. Hill led the Scots with seven rebounds while Taylor had four assists and three steals.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Hill has been in double figures in all six games this season ... Brown has scored at least 10 points in five games this season ... Brown was 7-for-10 from the field ... Monmouth held Beloit to 40% shooting ... The Scots out-rebounded Beloit 34-31 and 9-7 on the offensive glass ... The Scots were 22-for-29 at the free throw line ... Monmouth led for only 23 seconds of the first half but never trailed in the second half ... Beloit leads the all-time series 67-66 ... Monmouth is 8-2 in the last 10 and 15-10 under coach Skrivseth ... Last year the visiting team won both games ... Monmouth is 2-0 in MWC play for the second time in the last three seasons ... The Scots play in the Webster Gorlock Classic next weekend with a Friday game against Principia and a Saturday battle with Webster ... The next home game is Dec. 18 against Eureka.