In its annual introduction to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, the Stony Brook men’s basketball team’s first half struggles led to a blowout loss.
Playing their first CAA game of the season, the Seawolves (4-10, 0-1 CAA) began the new year in New Jersey, taking on the Monmouth Hawks (3-11, 1-0 CAA). A slow start — coupled with 31 points from Monmouth guard Abdi Bashir Jr. — spelled doom for Stony Brook as the Hawks coasted to a 78-56 victory.
Early on, the Seawolves found themselves playing catch-up with Monmouth. Forward Ben Wight knocked down a pair of free-throws to cut the deficit to 14-11 with less than 12 minutes left to play. However, Monmouth guards Madison Durr and Justin Ray made consecutive layups to widen the gap to 18-11.
The Hawks continued to extend their lead to double digits, entering the second half ahead 37-25.
The back half mimicked the first with both teams trading blows, but the Seawolves failed to make a significant dent in Monmouth’s lead. Stony Brook pulled within 11 when guard Joe Octave drove the basket, hitting a layup and adding an and-one.
On the ensuing play, Bashir Jr. made a diving layup attempt off an inbound pass to make the score 49-36. Immediately afterward, Monmouth forward Chris Morgan blocked a layup from forward Andre Snoody. He then passed it to Bashir Jr. for a crossover left-wing three to extend the lead to 16 points at 52-36.
Not even two minutes later, the Hawks embarked on a 15-4 run, getting contributions from five different players. The run was capped off with forward Cornelius Robinson III grabbing an offensive rebound off a missed layup and coming up with a putback to claim a 25-point lead, Monmouth’s largest of the night.
Following the bucket, the Hawks pulled their starters and emptied the bench, walking away with a 78-56 victory.
“Bashir [Jr.] showed why he is a Player of the Year candidate,” head coach Geno Ford said in a postgame interview with Stony Brook Athletics. “We had zero answers for him.”
Stony Brook posted a .328/.150/.750 shooting line compared to Monmouth’s .549/.526/.632 shooting line.
Octave led the Seawolves in scoring with 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Forward Nick Woodard was the second leading scorer of the team, with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four rebounds.
Octave and Wight finished tied atop the rebounding lead, each grabbing five boards.
Bashir Jr. spearheaded the Hawks’ offense, dropping 31 points on 12-for-18 shooting from the field and 7-for-10 from the three-point line.
“We have to find a way to shoot the basketball better,” Ford said. “To only have eight turnovers and not be able to score more than 55 points is a real concern. We will need to be much better on Saturday afternoon.”
Stony Brook remains on the road next, traveling to Virginia to take on the William & Mary Tribe on Saturday. The Tribe are 7-7 and 1-0 in CAA play so far this season after a 74-56 victory over Hofstra on Thursday. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m.
