Monmouth Hawks (8-3, 1-1) at Cornell Big Red (5-5, 0-0)
Wednesday, December 23, 2015 | 6:00pm ET
Newman Arena | Ithaca, NY
MEDIA INFORMATION
Live Video: Ivy League Digital Network
Play-by-Play: Barry Leonard
Analyst: Eric Taylor
RADIO: Shore Sports Network (1160/1310am)
Play-by-Play: Eddy Occhipinti
Analyst: Steve Bazaz
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Monmouth Basketball
Twitter: @MonmouthBBall
Instagram: @MonmouthMensBBall
YouTube: Monmouth Hawks
Snapchat: MUHawks
Periscope: MUHawks
OPENING TIP
Monmouth is looking to win five games in a row for the first time since 2009-10 and the first time under King Rice. MU received six votes in the AP Poll and two in the Coaches Poll this week, the second time this year the Blue and White entered the national rankings. Cornell is unbeaten at home this year and held a second half lead at Syracuse the last time out before falling.
SCOUTING THE BIG RED
Cornell enters with a 5-5 mark in non-conference play and a perfect 4-0 mark at home. Robert Hatter leads the team with 19 points per game while Matt Morgan is scoring 13.9 points per contest. David Onuorah leads the Big Red with 8.3 rebounds per game. Cornell has a win over a MAAC opponent this season, besting Siena at home on 12/1, 81-80.
AGAINST THE IVY LEAGUE
Monmouth basketball is 6-20 all-time against the Ivy League, and will meet Cornell for the first time tonight. MU has also never matched up with Yale or Dartmouth. The Hawks own four wins over Princeton and two over Penn, including a victory last January at The Palestra.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hawks picked up their fifth win over a high-major program with a 73-67 win over Rutgers, Monmouth's first win over the Scarlet Knights and first over a Big Ten program. Three Hawks went into double-figures and Deon Jones scored his 1000th point as a Hawk as MU went on a 6-0 run in the final minute to secure the victory.
RECEIVING VOTES
Monmouth has now received votes in the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Polls twice this season, most recently coming this past Monday when MU picked up six votes in the AP and two more in the Coaches. Earlier this season, Monmouth received votes for the first time in program history on 11/30, garnering five votes in the coaches poll and one more in the AP poll after getting three wins over Power 5 opponents in the first six games, beating UCLA, #17 Notre Dame, and USC.
UP NEXT
Monmouth will play at Army on 12/28 at 4:00pm.
