Bel Air, MD - The Monroe University Mustangs flipped the switch after halftime and delivered one of their most explosive offensive performances of the season, pulling away in the second half to defeat Harford Community College 103–88 on Tuesday night.
After trailing 50–45 at the break, Monroe came out of the locker room with purpose. The Mustangs shot a blistering 68 percent in the second half and poured in 58 points over the final 20 minutes, turning a tight contest into a double-digit road win.
Naceiar Kirksey led the charge with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, attacking the rim and knocking down three triples to pace the offense. Nico Pena caught fire after halftime, finishing with 16 points while hitting timely threes and converting inside to spark Monroe's comeback push.
Riley Dunn controlled the paint on both ends, posting a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while protecting the rim with multiple blocks. Faquir Mosley added 13 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night and consistently finished through contact, while Qingfang Pang chipped in nine points and two threes to stretch the defense.
Monroe's depth proved just as important. Tavien Tyler and Nick Williams each contributed nine points off the bench, and Fernando De Los Santos provided energy minutes with six points and five boards as the Mustangs' reserves added 26 points to the total.
Defensively, Monroe tightened up in the second half, limiting Harford to just 38 points after the break and forcing key turnovers that led to easy transition buckets. The Mustangs dominated the interior, outscoring the Owls 56–22 in the paint and shooting nearly 61 percent from the floor overall.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as the Monroe University 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.MonroeUMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).
