HAGERSTOWN, Md., November 24, 2018 – The Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team suffered a 79-76 setback against Hagerstown Community College on Saturday in the team's opening game at the Jim Brown Classic, hosted by Hagerstown. The Mustangs drop to 4-2 on the season, while the Hawks improve to 2-3.
 
The Mustangs jumped out to an early 10-1 lead in Saturday's contest. The Hawks then rallied back, tying the game up at 15-15 with 8:10 left in the first half. The home team took a six-point lead after a 9-3 run put the Hawks up, 24-18. Hagerstown then closed out the half with a 10-2 run to take a 36-23 advantage into the break.
 
The Mustangs went on an early run in the second half, getting back within five when Elijah Mitchell hit a three with 16:47 on the clock. Mitchell followed that up with a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to three, and a dunk by Zion Styles brought the Mustangs back within a point. Juan Felix Rodriguez then made a layup, followed by a three-pointer to put the Mustangs ahead, 44-40, with 14:27 to play.
 
The Hawks once again managed to close the gap, tying up the game at 49-49. Hagerstown took a five-point edge at 57-52 with 7:18 left in the second half, but the Mustangs got back within one at 60-59 with just under five minutes to play. Monroe was again within a point at 65-64 with 3:02 on the clock, but Rodney Black kept the Hawks ahead with a pair of free throws. Another two foul shots for Malcolm Moye gave the Hawks a five-point lead, but a three by Ebrima Jassey Demba cut the deficit back down to two. After forcing a turnover, Styles came down the court and made a layup, tying the game up at 69-69 with 1:39 left.
 
Hagerstown's Jason Wiggins made another two free throws, but Rodriguez made a two to tie the game up once again. Mitchell then hit a layup to give the Mustangs the lead, and Rodriguez followed shortly after with another two points to put the Mustangs up, 75-71, with 61 seconds remaining.
 
Jamichael Smart followed with a three for the Hawks to make it a one-point game. A steal by Moye got the ball back for the home team, and a three-pointer by Tyrin Hollis with 12 seconds to go put the Hawks up, 77-75. Thomas Binelli was sent to the line after a technical foul by Hagerstown, where he made the shot to make it a one-point game again. The Mustangs were forced to foul, and Smart made both chances to put the Hawks up, 79-76, without enough time left for the Mustangs to try one more shot.
 
Styles finished with a season-high 22 points in the win, adding five assists. Rodriguez filled up the stat sheet with 18 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a steal. Mitchell added 11 points and three boards. Deng Bol Yol had six points, eight rebounds and two blocks on the afternoon.
 
The Mustangs will look to bounce back on Sunday when they take on Allegany College of Maryland to close out the weekend. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
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).