NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 7, 2024 – Five Mustangs reached double figures and 11 got on the board as the Monroe College men's basketball team rolled to a 95-61 victory over Cecil College on Sunday to close out Monroe's weekend in the Monroe College Men's and Women's Mixer at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs improve to 12-5 overall, while the Seahawks drop to 4-13.
Ziare Wells led the way with 15 points and eight rebounds in Sunday's victory.
Ryan Williams Jr. was right behind with a 14-point, seven-rebound, four-assist effort in the win.
Albert Vargas finished with 13 points and five assists.
Devere Palmer Jr. reached 10 points, while
Zatai Townsend matched him with 10 of his own. Hassah Washington provided eight points and seven rebounds off the bench, while
Isiah Middleton matched his eight points.
Jawarie Hamelin totaled seven points, six assists, five boards and three steals.
Monroe got the early jump on the Seahawks in Sunday's matchup, with a three by Vargas capping off a game-opening 9-2 run. After the lead was cut to five, the Mustangs picked up some steam with an 11-2 run to take a 25-11 advantage over the Seahawks midway through the first half.
Just after the seven-minute mark, Townsend drained a three, then came back down and hit a contested layup to push Monroe's lead to 20 at 38-18. The lead later hit 22 points when Williams sank a three to make it a 43-21 game with 4:25 on the clock. The Mustangs kept the heat on late in the half, scoring 6-of-8 in the final 90 seconds to keep a 22-point lead and take a 52-30 edge into the half.
Vargas, Williams and Washington each scored eight points in the opening half. Washington led the team with five boards, while Williams dished out a team-high three assists. Townsend added seven points, while
Stefano Faloppa and Palmer each scored six.
The Mustangs kept their foot on the gas to open the second half, hitting a pair of threes en route to a 10-2 run to push the lead to 30 points. Later in the half, a three by Hamelin made it a 35-point game at 79-44 with 11:20 to play. After a short push by the Seahawks, the Mustangs got back on track with six straight to make it an 87-53 game with 5:52 left to go. A three-point play by Middleton with 2:35 to play pushed Monroe's lead to 35 before one final free throw for Cecil locked in the final score of 95-61.
The Mustangs shot 52.1 percent (37-of-71) from the field in the win, and held a 54-40 edge in rebounds. The Mustangs took advantage of their takeaways with a 33-12 edge in points off turnovers. The bench played a big role, as Monroe's reserves outscored Cecil's, 52-30. Monroe also outscored the Seahawks in the paint, 36-20.
The Mustangs get back to it on Wednesday, Jan. 10, when they host Roxbury Community College at the Monroe Athletic Complex. Wednesday's matchup is set to tip off at 6 p.m.
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).
