Scots Pull Away from Beloit in Second Half for Season Sweep

Taylor, Brasfield in double digits for Monmouth

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (01/08/2023) — The Monmouth College men's basketball team used a pair of double-digit runs, one in each half, to knock off Beloit College 62-49 on Saturday. The Scots are now 4-1 in Midwest Conference play and 8-6 overall on the season.

Neither team scored in the first two minutes before Kyle Taylor (Moline, Illinois) got a steal and a layup. Kendall Brasfield (Chicago, Illinois) completed a 3-point play for a 5-0 lead and Jordan Metcalf (Aledo, Illinois) scored in the paint. Taylor hit a 3-pointer as the lead extended to double digits before Beloit finally scored with 12:40 to play in the half. The Buccaneers missed their first 11 shots before hitting a wide-open 3-pointer to get on the board. Beloit hit two more shots for an 8-0 run before Jordan Hill (Chicago, Illinois) was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and made two of the three free throws.

The Scots went cold from the field going 3:21 without a point and Beloit took a 14-12 lead. Brasfield tied the game at 6:46 with two free throws and Yuvraj Sidhu (Coppell, Texas) made Monmouth's first field goal in more than seven minutes. Beloit hit a 3-pointer to go up 17-16 and followed with a layup off the backboard. Down four, the Scots got a bucket from Ganon Greenman (Alpha, Illinois) on two straight trips to tie the game at 20. Sidhu made two free throws and Brady Arrenius (Albuquerque, New Mexico) scored on a putback for a 24-21 lead. Beloit scored to cut the Monmouth lead to one at halftime.

Metcalf got the first bucket of the second half but Beloit got a 3-point play to tie the game at 26. Brasfield hit a long jumper, David Williams (Loves Park, Illinois) made a layup and Sidhu had a tip-in for a quick 6-0 run. After Beloit scored, the Scots got layups from Declan Flynn (Monmouth, Illinois) and Brasfield for a 36-30 lead. Beloit scored the next three points before Turner Plumer (Canton, Illinois) scored on a putback. Hill made a layup before Greenman stole the in-bounds pass and found Taylor for a 3-pointer and a 43-33 lead.

Greenman made a layup for a 12-point lead and the teams traded baskets before Plumer got another putback for a 49-35 lead. Beloit got a 5-2 run before Taylor drained a 3-pointer for a 54-40 lead. Brasfield made a free throw and Hill scored in the lane for a 57-42 Monmouth lead as the clock went under 5:00. Brasfield hit a bucket in the lane and Taylor made a free throw for a 60-44 lead before Beloit scored at the line with 2:58 left. Hill and Taylor added free throws as the Scots took a 62-46 lead with just over a minute to play.

Taylor led the way with 13 points while Brasfield had 12. Hill scored seven points while both Greenman and Plumer had six. Sidhu grabbed a team-leading eight rebounds and also had three blocks.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots are 12-9 against Beloit under Coach Skrivseth and 64-66 all-time. The Scots are 8-3 at home against Beloit in the Skrivseth era. Monmouth has won the last six at home against Beloit, dating back to a loss on Feb, 13, 2016. The Scots swept the season series, winning by 12 in Wisconsin last month. Brasfield has scored at least 10 points in five straight games and 11 times overall this seasonTaylor has made at least three 3-pointers in four straight games. He is 14-for-22 (.636) over those four games and has scored at least 10 points in seven games this season. The Scots are next in action at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Grinnell.