By PAUL GOTHAM
King Rice’s Monmouth Hawks sit at 4-2. After wins over three schools from Power 5 conferences, the Hawks received Top 25 votes for the first time in program history. Point guard Justin Robinson has dabbled with celebrity status, and Monmouth Bench is trending.
Just don’t expect the fifth-year coach to get caught up in the hype and lose track of his team’s identity.
Monmouth opens Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play against Canisius this week, and Rice knows the possibilities. He is also aware of the challenges.
“We’re excited that people want to play us,” Rice said by phone. “We’re still trying to get to the top. There’s a lot of room for improvement.”
He didn’t need it, but one day after Iona’s A.J. English broke a conference record for three-pointers, Rice was reminded his team is still a hunter. Others are the hunted.
“Everybody’s talking about us, and then A.J. English goes out and gets 46 points, makes 13 3s,” Rice stated. “We’ve been pushing and fighting and scrapping to try to get to the top of the MAAC. It is a great, great league.
“Manhattan has dominated the conference tournament. Iona has dominated the regular season the last three years. Until someone knocks Manhattan off, they’re still the champs. Those two teams are the teams to beat in this league.”
The Hawks will look to continue their climb Friday when they visit the Koessler Athletic Center. Monmouth swept the Golden Griffins last year including a 60-54 result in the MAAC quarter-finals when they endured a 21-6 Canisius run.
“We’ve had great games against them so far,” Rice said making note Canisius head coach Jim Baron and his 450 career wins. “Hopefully, we can keep it going.”
Keeping it going includes the play of Robinson who leads a squad which averages 79.8 points per game. Robinson set an Advocare Invitational record scoring 77 points to garner MVP honors. Like his teammates the 5-8 point guard has a green light on offense.
“We’ve given them that freedom, and then as coaches we have to remind them you know guys if you want to keep that freedom, use it the right way,” Rice said.
The approach has worked thus far. Monmouth opened the season with an overtime win at UCLA. Last week they knocked off then No. 17 Notre Dame and three days later USC.
One year after road losses to West Virginia (64-54), Maryland (61-56) and SMU (63-51) in the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Hawks are turning lessons from those setbacks into victories.
“I knew we had a good team. I expected to take one of those games,” Rice said referring to the contests with UCLA, Notre Dame and USC. “To take all three? No one could have expected that.”
Robinson leads the way netting 24. 8 points per game. He hands out 3.2 assists. Redshirt freshman Micah Seaborn adds 13.8. Collin Stewart chips in 9.7. Deon Jones contributes 8.2 points to go with a team high 7.7 rebounds per game.
Seaborn scored nearly 16 a game in the Advocare Invitational. He finished with 15 against Notre Dame and 20 versus USC. His game-tying three-point attempt against Dayton found iron, though.
“After he missed the shot against Dayton, he was crushed,” Rice said. “He was crying so hard. I told him you’re going to make so many of these shots, man. Someday we’ll laugh about this one.”
With that approach it is easy to understand the impact of Monmouth Bench – a fun-loving cast which gives a new definition to celebrations.
“I love it,” Rice commented. “These kids are awesome. They are a major part of what we do every day in practice. Usually those kids who are toward the end of the bench, no one really knows who they are, so I’m so happy for them. This has been great ride for them and our whole school.”
Cousins Dan and Louie Pillari along with Greg Noack and Robinson’s younger brother, Tyler, have turned the sidelines into must-see television. From “Bow and Arrows” to “Human Scissors,” “Heart Attack” and “Trophy Fish” to name a few, the Monmouth Bench knows no peers. Last Wednesday, they were obscure. Today, their twitter account (which was started in the last week) has more than 3,400 followers.
“I just told them I said ‘guys just keep it clean. Never do it at the other school or the other players. Really have fun with it guys.’ That’s been something we’ve put on the board before every game since I’ve been here.”
The Charlotte Hornets Frank Kaminsky called The Monmouth Bench his “spirit animal.” USA Today’s Nicole Auerbach featured them here, as did the Washington Post, ESPN, CBS Sports and the Asbury Park Press.
“Sometimes, coaches get too tight and you squeeze the fun out of the game for the kids. I’ve been there in my first couple of years. I had to get better in understanding that if the kids are enjoying themselves and I keep them rested the way I need to, you’ll get a lot out of young men 18 to 22 years old. I think that’s what is happening for us right now.”
Canisius (2-3) is coming off an overtime loss to the University of Buffalo. Malcolm McMillan leads five in double figures with 23.6 a game. Kassius Robertson and Phil Valenti chip in 13.4 a piece. Jamal Reynolds adds 11.6 points to go with his team-high 9.2 rebounds. Jermaine Crumpton has score 14 a game in two contest.
The last time a team receiving AP votes visited the Koessler Athletic Center was 2008 when Navy (8-2) came to Buffalo. Canisius won that contest, 68-63.
A 7 pm tip time is scheduled, Friday night.
Monmouth plays at Niagara on Sunday. A 2 pm start time is slated.
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