GREAT BEND, Kan., November 15, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2019-20 season on Friday in a 114-91 defeat against No. 7-ranked Hutchinson Community College as part of the Best Western Angus Inn & Cougar Booster Club Basketball Classic, hosted by Barton Community College at the Barton Gym. The Mustangs drop to 2-1 on the season with the loss, while the Blue Dragons improve to 6-0.
 
The Mustangs got off to a great start, scoring the first six points of the game for an early lead. They kept up this pace for the first nine minutes, hanging on to a 24-18 advantage with 11:10 to play in the half. The Blue Dragons then turned the momentum in their favor, rattling off 15 straight points to go up, 33-24. Five straight points by the Mustangs got them back within four with 6:09 left until the break, but Hutchinson's lead soon grew to double figures. The Blue Dragons' late-half run left them up, 53-35, heading into the half.
 
Jeremiah Kendall led the Mustangs with 12 points and three steals at the half. Juan Felix Rodriguez added six points and a pair of assists. Zion Styles contributed five points and a team-high four rebounds, as well as two steals.
 
Unfortunately, the second half started off much the same, seeing the Blue Dragons jump out to a 32-point advantage in the first five minutes. The Mustangs made a run later in the frame to cut the lead down to 20 points, but the lead eventually grew back to 33. The Mustangs kept battling no matter the score, once again cutting the deficit down to 20 points with 11 seconds left, but Monroe ultimately dropped the 114-91 decision.
 
Styles and Ja'mani Eaton shared the team lead with 15 points on the afternoon, while Styles also led with seven rebounds and four steals. Rodriguez and Kendall matched with 14 points apiece.
 
The Mustangs' weekend in Kansas concludes tomorrow, Nov. 16, when they take on host Barton Community College in the final game of the day. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EST.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 12 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).