Khalid Hart Scores 26, But Marist Falls at Monmouth

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – In a closely-fought game throughout, the Marist men’s basketball team suffered a 71-64 loss at Monmouth in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game on Sunday.

Red-shirt senior guard Khallid Hart led all scorers with 26 points. Hart, who moved into fifth place on Marist’s all-time scoring list and now has 1,589 career points, shot 8-for-13 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. Sophomore swingman David Knudsen contributed a season-high 13 points off the bench. Sophomore guard Brian Parker scored 11 points, and led the Red Foxes in rebounds (seven) and assists (five). The game included 18 lead changes and nine ties, and the final margin of seven matched Monmouth’s largest lead of the game.

“I thought Khallid Hart played absolutely phenomenal,” head coach Mike Maker said, “and David Knudsen gave us a shot in the arm.”

A transition basket by Hart gave Marist its largest first-half lead at 11-7 with 14:50 remaining. The Hawks later used a 9-2 spurt over a span of 5:13 to take a seven-point lead with 3:19 left until halftime. Two free throws by Hart in the waning seconds of the half cut Marist’s deficit to 33-30 heading to the locker room.

Hart scored 15 consecutive Marist points in a span of 5:34 in the second half as there were nine lead changes and five ties in the first eight-and-a-half minutes of the second half. With 7:04 remaining, a free throw by freshman center Tobias Sjoberg tied the score for the ninth time, this time at 56 apiece. On the Hawks’ next possession, Micah Seaborn drained a pair of free throws with 6:45 left, and Monmouth led the rest of the way.

Austin Tilghman led Monmouth with 21 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Micah Seaborn scored 16. Preseason MAAC Player of the Year Justin Robinson scored 10 and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, but the Red Foxes held him to 2-for-10 shooting from the field.

Marist shot 18-for-48 (.375) from the field, while Monmouth shot 22-for-54 (.407). The Red Foxes went 9-for-21 (.429) from three-point range, while the Hawks were 5-for-20 (.250) from deep. Marist committed 16 turnovers, while Monmouth had six.

“Our defense is getting better,” Maker said. “We haven’t shot it at the clip that we’re capable of.”

Marist is 5-12 overall and 2-4 in the MAAC; Monmouth is 12-5 overall and 4-2 in the MAAC.
Sunday’s game was the first of four straight on the road for the Red Foxes, who will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Canisius. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.