Four in Double Figures as Scots Win Sixth Straight

Monmouth rallies past Beloit on Saturday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (01/06/2024) — The Monmouth College men's basketball team overcame an early 12-point deficit to win at Beloit College 71-62 on Saturday. The Scots (9-5, 3-2) have won six straight games since consecutive MWC losses in early December.

Beloit jumped out to a 6-2 lead with Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) getting Monmouth's first basket. Hill added a free throw and Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) made two more from the line before Beloit extended to a 17-5 lead with an 11-0 run. Brennen McNally (Paw Paw, Illinois) scored four straight points and Max Maring (Port Byron, Illinois) added a bucket.

Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) cut the Beloit lead to 19-13 and Maring scored again after the Buccaneers got a bucket. David Williams (Loves Park, Illinois) made two free throws and McNally added another basket as Monmouth got within four at 24-20. Beloit scored again before Williams made a free throw and Maring scored at the rim for a 26-23 Bucs lead.

After Beloit scored, Monmouth went on a 6-0 run and took their first lead of the game at 29-28 on a Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) layup. Beloit answered with their own run and led 34-32 at half after Jason Huber (Carpentersville, Illinois) made two free throws.

Taylor hit a 3-pointer to start the second half and after Beloit went back on top, Hill scored on a layup. Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) got into the scoring column for a 39-38 lead and Taylor made another 3-pointer. Huber hit a 3-pointer for a 45-40 lead and buckets from McNally and Maring gave the Scots a 50-42 advantage.

Beloit pulled within four at 52-48 before Taylor made a layup with 7:36 to play. Beloit scored the next four points before Hill made two free throws and Huber added another for a 57-52 lead. The hosts scored four straight and Taylor made two free throws with 3:31 to play for a 59-56 Monmouth lead. Hill's layup with 2:45 to play was Monmouth's first field goal in nearly five minutes and pushed the lead to 61-56.

The Scots defense shut down Beloit on the next four possessions with Hill making a layup and Taylor, Plumer and Huber making free throws for a 67-59 lead. After a Beloit 3-pointer with 56 seconds left, Hill made two free throws. Beloit came up empty on the offensive end and Hill made two more free throws for the 71-62 final score.

Hill led the Scots with 16 points and six rebounds. Taylor added 14 points while McNally had 12 and Maring had 10. Williams also grabbed six rebounds while Hill added three assists

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Hill has scored 10 or more points eight times this season including six straight. Taylor, who had 24 points in the first matchup, has scored at least 10 points in 10 games this season. McNally had a career high 12 points and Maring has scored 10 points three times this year. The bench scored 18 of Monmouth's 23 first half points with Maring and McNally tallying eight each in the first halfThe Scots were 28-for-36 at the free-throw line. Monmouth is 2-0 on the road in conference this season. Beloit won in Monmouth 63-56 last month. Monmouth swept the season series last year and are 8-3 in the last 11 games.. Beloit leads the all-time series 67-65 and the Scots are 14-10 under Coach Skrivseth. The Fighting Scots play at Cornell at home on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.