VINCENNES, Ind., November 12, 2023 – The host team for the 2023 McDonald's Classic was a tough one to overcome on Saturday, as the No. 25-ranked Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team dropped an 84-66 score to No. 6 Vincennes College. The Mustangs fall to 2-2 on the season with the loss, while the Trailblazers remain unbeaten at 4-0.
 
The Mustangs managed to take an early 5-4 lead, but it was short-lived, as the Trailblazers went on a 14-1 run to take an 18-6 advantage 10 minutes into the game. Vincennes pushed the lead to 20 after scoring 10 straight to go up, 28-8. The lead was 20 once again with 3:17 left before the Mustangs began to turn things around. An 11-1 stretch for Monroe brought the score to 38-29 in the final minute, with the Trailblazers hanging on to a 40-30 lead heading into the break.
 
Ryan Williams Jr. led the Mustangs with eight points at the half. Albert Vargas was right behind him with seven points and a team-high three assists.
 
Vincennes got off to a hot start in the second half, quickly outscoring the Mustangs, 9-2, to make it a 17-point difference. Facing that same deficit, the Mustangs scored nine straight to get within eight. The home team managed to hold off another big run by the Mustangs, eventually pushing the lead back to 19 points with 8:43 to play. Both teams traded scoring back-and-forth down the stretch, with the deficit nearly staying the same the rest of the way, seeing the Mustangs fall, 84-66.
 
Vargas had his second 20-point performance of the Midwest trip on Saturday, finishing with exactly 20 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Williams totaled 14 points and five boards. Jawarie Hamelin added nine points, three steals and three assists. Ziare Wells tallied eight points with four rebounds.
 
The Mustangs get back to work next weekend when they host the Monroe College Invitational at the Monroe Athletic Complex, welcoming Allegany College of Maryland, Hagerstown Community College and SUNY Sullivan to New Rochelle. The Mustangs open their weekend on Saturday, Nov. 18, with a 5 p.m. matchup against Hagerstown.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven 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).