NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y, February 8, 2018 – Down by 12 with just 8:35 remaining, the Monroe Mustangs' JV men's basketball team rallied to force overtime and outscored the Phoenix, 8-7, in the overtime period to top previously-undefeated The Robinson School, 80-79, on Thursday at the Monroe Athletic Complex.
 
The Mustangs trailed by 12, 40-28, at the half, and trailed for much of the second half, with The Robinson School leading by as much as 13 points.
 
But with 8:23 remaining, the Mustangs went on an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to just one. The Phoenix responded, but Monroe came right back with an 8-2 run to take a three-point lead into the final minute of the game.
 
However, James McNiel drained a three-pointer and the Mustangs missed a shot at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.
 
The two teams went back and forth in overtime before a bucket from Rakim Bryant, and free throws from Javandre House and Christopher Davis built a four-point lead that would prove to be too much for The Robinson School to overcome.
 
With the win, the Mustangs move to 14-11 on the season, with the Phoenix dropped their first game of the season, falling to 23-1.
 
Five Mustangs tallied double figures, led by Bryant who scored 14. Christopher Davis tallied a double-double, his third of the season, with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Isaiah Allen-Smith, Marcus Thompson and Javandre House scored 12, 12 and 10 points apiece.
 
The Mustangs outscored The Robinson School 44-32 in the second half, and shot 40.3 percent from the field for the game, while outrebounding the Phoenix, 52-45.
 
The Mustangs are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 10 when they travel to Woodstock, Conn. to take on Woodstock Academy at 2:00 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 Monroe's Bronx campus has six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level beginning with their inaugural seasons in 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).