Firenze, Italy – Abdi Bashir scored 32 points with nine threes as Monmouth University Men’s Basketball exploded offensively, scoring 117 points in a 117-104 victory over Pino Basket Firenze Monday night. Seven Hawks scored in double figures as MU moved to 2-0 in Italy.
Monmouth trailed for just 15 seconds all night, with Bashir answering an opening three with one of his own. He netted four first-quarter triples, helping MU to a 29-27 lead after 10 minutes. Freshman Lucas Orchard pitched in eight second-quarter points, and Bashir made another pair of threes to send Monmouth to the break up 59-54. MU held serve in the third, taking an 88-79 lead to the fourth, and Bashir added three more three pointers to extend the lead to 13 at 117-104.
Notes and Quotes
“I’m so excited for this opportunity that our kids get to make this incredible trip to Italy. I want to thank President Leahy, Jen Sansevero and everyone that made this possible. In Game Two, we did not play as well as we did the first night, but we can obviously really, really score the ball. I think the kids were a little tired on defense and that’s why they scored so much, but we’re 2-0 on the trip and we’re having an unbelievable time. This is a life changing experience for these young men, and we’re just building chemistry with everybody on the team. We didn’t start well but we got after them and they really responded with being more solid in the second half, therefore we got the win.” – Head Coach King Rice
-Bashir made nine threes, including six in the first half, to finish with 32 points
-Seven Hawks scored in double figures in the game
-Ball, Bashir, and Ray scored in double figures for the second straight game
-Monmouth is 2-0 on the Italian foreign tour
-Both MU freshmen, Lucas Orchard and Justin Ray, scored in double digits
-The game was played with FIBA rules, including four 10-minute quarters and a 24-second shot clock
Monmouth Stats
Bashir: 32 points, 3 rebounds
Valencia: 19 points, 8 rebounds
Durr: 5 points, 1 rebound
Ball: 17 points, 9 rebounds
Miller: 1 rebound
Leahy: 1 rebound
Ray: 12 points, 2 rebounds
Orchard: 11 points, 2 rebounds
Collins: 10 points, 3 rebounds
Robinson: 11 points, 5 rebounds
Fagan: 1 rebound
Peters: 1 rebound
Up Next
-Monmouth looks to complete its Italian Foreign Tour unbeaten Thursday, when they take on Milan Basket at 6:00 p.m. (Noon Eastern).
Monmouth Men’s Basketball Runs Past Pino Basket Firenze, 117-104 – Monmouth University Athletics
