GREAT BEND, Kan., November 16, 2019 – Playing in the final game of the Best Western Angus Inn - Cougar Booster Club Basketball Classic against host Barton College, the Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team dropped a 90-76 decision to the Cougars at Barton Gym Saturday evening. Monroe falls to 2-2 overall with the loss, while the Cougars improve to 6-1.
 
The Mustangs fell behind early on in Saturday night's contest when the Cougars jumped out to a 9-4 lead. Monroe soon knotted things up at 11-11, but an 8-0 run by the home team put the Mustangs in a 19-11 hole. Monroe trailed by as many as 11 points late in the half, but a seven-point run by the Mustangs got them back within four.
 
The Cougars stretched their lead back out to nine, but the Mustangs scored four straight to get within five again with under a minute to play in the half. Barton hit a free throw with 47 seconds remaining, but Julio Pascual sank a layup at the buzzer to leave the Mustangs down, 34-30, heading into the break.
 
The Mustangs cut the deficit to two in the first few minutes of the second half, but the Cougars were able to jump back out to an 11-point lead with 15:22 on the clock. The Mustangs later fell behind, 60-45, but an 11-2 run got them back within six points with 9:38 to play.
 
The Mustangs made it a five-point game on a fast-break dunk by Zion Styles with 6:37 left in the second half, and later made it a four-point game when Ja'mani Eaton drained a three. The Cougars responded with an 11-3 run, pushing their lead back out to 12 points with just 2:25 left. The home team did not waver from that point on, picking up the 90-76 win.
 
Styles led the Mustangs with 19 points, adding eight rebounds. Jeremiah Kendall picked up a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 11 boards. Akeem Tate finished with 12 points, while Tobias Perkovic added six points and eight rebounds. Eaton had a team-high four assists to go with six points, six boards and two steals.
 
The Mustangs will return home and play next on Friday, Nov. 22, when they host the Monroe College Invitational at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs will open their weekend against Hagerstown Community College Friday evening at 7 p.m.
 
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).