On Thursday night at the MAC the Monroe Mustangs men's basketball tem defeated Harcum 78-74 in their first conference game of the season.  It was a big win for Monroe who came into the game having lost three of their last five and searching for their identity.  But the Mustangs came away with renewed perspective after defeating the nation's #18-ranked team and going a leg up in their conference.
 
Monroe then put that new-found energy to use in Saturday's win against in Southington, CT at Lincoln College of New England, 72-60.  The Mustangs are now 14-6 on the season.
 
"Everybody played well against Harcum," said Coach Jeffrey Brustad.  "Hopefully we're beginning to figure some things out.  This was a team effort.  We got contributions across the board," he said.  "These conference games are of great importance for seeding and we have to win them, especially the home games."
 
Monroe controlled the Harcum game from the outset, never relinquishing the lead from buzzer to buzzer.  However, the Bears, who came in with a 15-2 record, tied the score with 5:32 to go in the second half, at one point going 6/7 from the arc.  But the Mustangs held fast.
 
"We're beginning to play well at the right time," Coach Brustad said.
 
Four Mustangs accounted for 69 of the Mustangs' 78 points.  Transfer Joel Angus III had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks, Will Tavares and Ran Tut had 16 each, and Thomas Rivera had 15 points and four assists.
 
Angus was high man against Lincoln College with 16 points.
 
 "I'm happy for the kids," Brustad said.  "We have whole new cast and things are just starting to come together for them."