Brown's Double-Double Not Enough as Scots Fall to Principia

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (12/14/2024) — The Monmouth College men's basketball team led by 15 in the first half but gave up a 7-0 run to end the game in a 65-62 loss to Principia College Friday night. The Fighting Scots (5-2) got a 20-rebound, 16-point double-double from Zay Brown (Peoria, Illinois), the most rebounds by a single player in six years.

Brown opened the scoring and Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) tied the game 4-4 with a jumper. Cameron Thomas (Arlington, Texas) put the Scots back on top and Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer, Brown scored four straight points for a 14-7 Monmouth lead and Kamran Banks (Springfield, Illinois) knocked down a 3-pointer. Taylor hit another three before buckets from Brennen McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois) and Thomas made it a 10-0 run and a 25-9 advantage.

Principia responded with five straight points before Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) and Flynn made baskets. Brown gave the Scots a 34-19 lead with 3:50 to go in the first half but the Panthers went on a 12-0 run over the next 3:45. Banks scored on the last possession of the half for a 36-31 Monmouth lead.

Brown on Monmouth's first possession of the second and Thomas stopped a 4-0 Panthers run for a 40-35 lead. Flynn and Hill answered Principia baskets but a 5-0 Panthers run put them back on top 45-44. Brown scored and Banks put up four straight points before Principia tied the game at 50 with a 3-pointer. Neither team scored for the next two minutes before the Panthers took a 53-51 lead. Jason Huber (Carpentersvillle, Illinois) ended the Monmouth drought with a 3-pointer for a 54-53 lead and 7:10 to play.

Out of a timeout, Banks grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup. Flynn scored off a pass from Brown for a 58-53 lead. Monmouth didn't score for the next 3:30 and Principia cut the lead to one. Brown made a layup with 2:49 left and the Panthers split free throws. Brown's putback with 1:36 to play made it 62-58 and the Scots called timeout. Principia made a free throw, stole the ball and scored with 53 seconds left. Leading 62-61, Monmouth called timeout but turned the ball over on a shot clock violation. Principia called timeout with 24 seconds left and they scored with 15 seconds left. Hill missed an off-balance runner in the lane and the Scots fouled as Principia grabbed the rebound. The Panthers made both free throws for a 65-62 lead and Brown's 3-pointer at the buzzer fell off the rim.

Brown led the Scots with 16 points while Banks had 11 and Thomas scored nine. Brown had 20 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass, while Flynn led with three assists.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Brown has scored at least 10 points in six games this season ... His 20 rebounds are tied for sixth on the Monmouth single-game record list and the most since Will Carius grabbed a school record 25 rebounds against Grinnell on Feb. 2, 2019 ... Brown secured his first collegiate double-double ... Hill's streak of double-digit games ended at six as he scored five points ... The Scots were 5-for-30 from 3-point range and 3-of-8 at the line ... The Scots turned it over 18 times ... Monmouth won the rebound battle 49-37 with 17 offensive rebounds ... Monmouth was 5-0 all-time against Principia ... The teams hadn't met since the 2003-04 season ... The Scots are 2-1 against SLIAC teams this season ... The Scots play in the Webster Gorlock Classic again on Saturday with a 3 p.m. battle against host Webster ... The next home game is Dec. 18 against Eureka.