NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 6, 2020 – In its first contest of the 2020 calendar year, and first American Independent Post Grad and Collegiate Conference (AIPGCC) matchup of the season, the Monroe College Mustangs JV men's basketball team defeated the College of Mount Saint Vincent JV team, 76-56, Monday evening at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs improve to 4-9 overall and 1-0 in AIPGCC play with the win, while the Dolphins fall to 3-4 and 0-1 in conference play.
 
After a very slow start to Monday's contest, the scoring picked up just before the midway point of the first half. The Dolphins took a 9-4 lead before a 12-2 run for Monroe put the Mustangs on top, 16-11. The run continued for Monroe, as an 8-2 run gave them an 11-point edge with 5:34 to play in the half. The Dolphins scored the next six points to get back within five, but the Mustangs closed out the half with 11 straight points, taking a 35-19 advantage into the break.
 
Luis Quinones led the Mustangs with nine points at the break. James Paul added six points, while both Erizander Laureano and Daniel Perez contributed five apiece.
 
The second half got off to a much faster start than the first, with both teams draining shots left-and-right. The Mustangs pushed the lead to 19 points early in the frame, but the Dolphins were able to get back within 10 at 51-41 with 11:54 to play. Six straight points put Monroe right back up by 16, and they continued to hold a comfortable edge the rest of the way. The Mustangs pushed their lead to 20 points with five points in the final two minutes, wrapping things up with a 76-56 final.
 
Quinones and Yannis Embert matched with a team-high 13 points in the win on Monday. Embert added five rebounds, while Quinones dished out six assists. Jerald Campbell just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. Levan Foster also added nine points, while both Deandre Hayes and Paul picked up eight points apiece.
 
The Mustangs hit the road on Friday, Jan. 10, for another AIPGCC matchup. They will take on Prestige Preparatory Academy in Linden, N.J. at 6 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).