NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 21, 2018 – The Monroe College men's basketball team took it down to the wire with Erie Community College in the finale of the weekend's Monroe College MLK Classic, but ultimately fell by a score of 64-63 Sunday afternoon at the Monroe Athletic Complex. Erie improves to 9-6 with the win, while the Mustangs fall to 12-10.
 
The Mustangs tried to set the tone early when Clythus Griffith opened the game with a layup, followed shortly after by a three by Thomas Binelli for a quick 5-0 lead. Erie then rallied for nine straight points to go up, 9-5. Later in the frame, back-to-back threes by Deins Bergis and Lovro Bulesic put the Mustangs up, 18-15, with 8:49 left in the half.
 
Erie turned things around with six straight points to go back up by three, but the Mustangs netted the next five, including a three by Binelli, to take a 23-21 edge. Later, the Mustangs went on an 8-0 run to take a 31-24 lead. Erie scored seven of the final nine points in the half, but the Mustangs held a 33-31 lead heading into the break.
 
Erie took the lead when Shevon Anisca made a pair of free throws early in the second half. Both teams traded the lead back-and-forth, leading to Monroe going up by one when Griffith made a layup with 15:28 on the clock. Erie then scored five in a row, taking a 45-41 advantage.
 
The Mustangs drew within one at 50-49 before Erie scored 10 of the next 13 points to go up, 60-52. Binelli then hit a three to get within five, but Erie quickly pushed its lead back out to nine. Bergis and Binelli then made back-to-back threes, and Bergis later made a layup on a fast break to draw within one at 64-63.
 
The score held until the final minute, when the Mustangs managed to force a bad pass and a backcourt violation to get the ball with 23.9 on the clock. The Mustangs could not get a pair of shots to go, but were able to fall on top of the ball and get it back on a jump ball, giving them another chance with 7.7 left in regulation. Monroe was unable to put points on the board, falling by one to the Kats.
 
Binelli led the Mustangs with 25 points on Sunday after going 7-of-11 from three-point range. Griffith added 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. Ebrima Jassey Demba led the Mustangs with 12 rebounds, adding four points and four assists. Nukoy Singleton contributed nine points and six helpers.
 
The Mustangs get back to work on Saturday, Jan. 27, when they host Woodstock Academy at the Monroe Athletic Complex. Tip-off on Saturday is set for 2 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level as of the fall of 2017.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).