Monmouth Now Alone Atop the MAAC
Guard Justin Robinson had a huge impact in tonight's game for the Hawks.
Selection Sunday was a huge letdown for Monmouth fans last year as their team was snubbed from at large bid after picking up some absolutely huge nonconference wins. They did manage to snag an NIT bid but it just wasn't the same. They proceeded to get knocked out in the second round to George Washington and what began as such a promising season ended on a sour note. Rather than dwell on the past though, the team continued to work hard and it is paying dividends as the team is doing quite well this season.
The Hawks were a part of a deadlock for first place in the league, and it just so happens that the very team that they were tied with, Canisius, were their opponents tonight. The Hawks played very well in this one to ensure that they would be the ones to capitalize on being a part of this top-tier MAAC matchup. They headed to the locker rooms with a 40-32 halftime lead, and put their foot on the pedal even more to stretch it to a 15 point lead at one point in the second half. However, the Golden Griffins of Canisius came roaring back partly by shooting 7/9 at one segment and made it very close at the end. It seemed as though Justin Robinson's turnover for the Hawks with under a minute to go would be extremely costly, but the Golden Griffin's shooting ability suddenly dried up at the absolute worst time and they couldn't take advantage of the opportunity.
With this win, the Hawks have the joint-fewest losses in the league tied with St. Peter's (2). St. Peters have played two less conference games than the Hawks so they could theoretically cause another tie at the top of the standings should they win their next two games. It was this very St. Peter's team that gave Monmouth one of its two losses thus far so the Hawks shouldn't take them lightly next time they face off. The other team who beat the Hawks, Rider, are also sitting at a solid 4-3 and could pose a threat as well. So while the team deservedly should celebrate this hard-fought and high-quality win over Canisius, they shouldn't let their guard down as their quest for a conference title is far from over with numerous teams looking dangerous. This will stand especially true when the conference tournament comes around as the Hawks certainly know firsthand the consequences of losing to even a slightly inferior team. But for now, the team can enjoy being alone at the top.
