NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 14, 2023 – For the first time this season, the No. 12-ranked Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team surpassed the 100-point plateau on Saturday, defeating Essex County College, 108-61, in the final game of the first day of the Monroe College MLK Classic at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs improve to 18-2 with their eighth straight win, while the Wolverines fall to 5-10.
The Mustangs came out galloping in Saturday's contest, scoring the first nine points of the game before running out to a 16-4 lead through the first six minutes. Monroe later went on a 12-0 run near the midway point of the first half, pushing the lead to a commanding 22 points at 30-8. Essex gained some momentum back with six straight points, but the Mustangs quickly turned the tables with 13 straight points to go up, 45-16. Monroe then closed out the half on a 9-3 run, taking a 54-21 lead into the locker room.
Tyje Kelton and
Ziare Wells matched for a team-high 10 points in the half, with Kelton pulling down a team-leading six rebounds.
Melvin Council Jr. tallied nine points with four assists and three steals.
Hamdel Mohammed matched his nine points with three boards.
The Mustangs kept their foot on the gas early in the second half. They opened the new period by outscoring the Wolverines, 10-4, to push the lead to 39 points. A three-pointer by Kelton later put the Mustangs ahead by 43. An 8-3 run later in the half by Essex County brought the visitors back within 35, but the Mustangs scored the next five, including a three by
Zatai Townsend, to go back up by 40. The Mustangs cracked the century mark on a layup by
Isac Ahnstrand with 2:21 to play, putting Monroe up, 100-55, eventually leading to the 47-point victory.
Kelton finished with a double-double in the win, totaling 21 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double in the last week. Townsend was next for Monroe with 14 points in the game, adding four rebounds. Mohammed picked up 13 points and four boards. Wells tallied 12 points with six rebounds, while Council added 11 points and a team-high six assists.
Nikola Danicic contributed seven points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Mustangs shot an efficient 61.2 percent (41-of-67) from the field in the win, as well as 10-of-22 (45.5 percent) from three-point range. They outrebounded the Wolverines, 50-30, and held a 52-30 edge in points in the paint. Monroe's bench outscored Essex's reserves, 48-21.
The Mustangs will look to make it nine straight on Sunday, Jan. 15, when they take on NJCAA Div. II No. 9 SUNY Sullivan in each team's last game of the MLK Classic. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 11 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
