BROOKLYN, N.Y., February 15, 2020 – The Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team played its best game of the season on Saturday, clicking on all cylinders to pick up a 114-74 victory over Region XV rival ASA College at Achievement First High School. The Mustangs improve to 19-9 overall and 2-2 in region play with the win, while ASA falls to 10-11 and 1-2.
 
Helping the Mustangs to their most complete win of the year was an impressive effort by Juan Felix Rodriguez, who registered a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. His triple-double was Monroe's second of the season after Ja'Mani Eaton completed one back on Dec. 1 in a victory over Allegany College of Maryland.
 
Rodriguez had just one of a number of impressive stat lines for the Mustangs on Saturday. Zion Styles picked up a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, adding three assists and a pair of steals while playing just 24 minutes. Marcus Thompson led the Mustangs with 23 points in the win, adding eight rebounds and three assists of his own as well. Akeem Tate tallied 13 points in the game, while Luka Ivkovic made it five Mustangs to score in double figures with 10 points off the bench.
 
After a close start to the game, the Mustangs began to pull away with a 15-2 run that put them up, 33-16, with 10:12 to play in the half. The Avengers cut the deficit down to eight points with 3:30 to play before the break, but the Mustangs still had control, taking a 52-40 lead into halftime.
 
Thompson scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half. Rodriguez was well on his way to his triple-double with 12 points, six assists and six rebounds in the first half.
 
Monroe's lead shrunk to seven at 56-49 with 16:58 still on the clock in the second half. Just three and a half minutes later, the Mustangs went on a 19-3 run, pushing the lead to 23 points. Soon after, a 79-59 lead for Monroe quickly became a 94-59 lead with 7:44 still on the clock. The Mustangs kept pounding it on, leading by as many as 43 points down the stretch before finishing things off with a decisive 40-point win.
 
The Mustangs shot 61 percent (47-of-77) from the field in Saturday's win, while holding the Avengers to just 38.9 percent (28-of-72) shooting. Monroe out-rebounded the Avengers, 54-31, in the game. The Mustangs doubled up the Avengers in the paint, scoring 80 points in-close while holding ASA to just 40 points.
 
The Mustangs will carry a four-game winning streak into the final week of the regular season. Monroe opens the week with a home contest against County College of Morris on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 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 Mustangs), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).