MONMOUTH, Ill. – The Illinois College men's basketball team nearly pulled off a huge comeback in the late stages of the second half but had a desperation three-pointer hit off the back iron as time expired in a 73-70 win for Monmouth College in each team's Midwest Conference opener. The Fighting Scots improve to 6-0 (1-0 MWC) with the win, while the Blueboys fall to 2-4 (0-1 MWC).
The Blueboys started fast with a 5-0 lead courtesy of
Jaxson Dian and
Hunter Ottensmeier. With just shy of six minutes gone in the first half, a
Tyler Jowett three-pointer gave Illinois College its largest lead of the night at 13-4. Monmouth came back at times, but IC pushed the lead back to nine with a
Tre Rogers dunk at 28-19. Led by Carius, the Fighting Scots then moved into the lead with a 13-2 run to go up by two. The lead stayed there for Monmouth at the break, 36-34.
With a few minutes elapsed in the second half, buckets from Rogers and Jowett gave Illinois College its final lead at 45-43. Monmouth answered back with a 6-0 run and grew the lead to 62-52 with under five minutes left.
Down the stretch,
Riley Mehrens kept the Blueboys in it. Following a 6-0 run to make it 62-58, Mehrens knocked down a three that cut the deficit to three at 64-61. A three-point play for the senior made it 66-64 with 80 seconds remaining. With 40 seconds left,
Jake Mazrimas connected on a three-pointer assisted by Mehrens to slice Monmouth's lead to one at 68-67. IC had a shot at tying the game but a three-pointer was missed. The Fighting Scots then increased the lead to five until Mehrens' three-point play with nine seconds left made it 72-70. After Monmouth could only make one of two at the line, Illinois College had one opportunity to tie it, but Mehrens couldn't get a clean look on a three-pointer at the buzzer and his shot hit back iron and rolled off.
Ottensmeier led the Blueboys with 17 points while Mehrens added 16. Mazrimas was the other player in double-figures with 10. Carius was a one-man show for Monmouth with 38 points and 15 rebounds.
Illinois College comes back to Sherman Gymnasium for its conference home opener on Saturday afternoon, hosting Cornell College at 1 p.m.
