New Rochelle, NY, February 2, 2021 – The Monroe Express JV men's basketball team let another second-half lead evaporate, falling 57-54 to Touro College on Tuesday Night at Monroe Athletic Complex. The Express's second straight loss drops them to 4-4 on the season.
Three players scored in double-figures for the Express, led by sophomore
Audley Falconer (Bronx, New York), who dropped a career-high 18 points.
Freshman
Leshawn Bryant (Brooklyn, New York) added 12 points and dished out a game-high four assists while classmate
Darius Rivers (Bronx, New York) put up his team-leading third double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds and 10 points.
Bryant also led the team defensively with three steals in the contest.
The first half was a back and forth battle, with three lead changes and two ties. Monroe-Bronx took control early, jumping out to a 16-9 lead on a
Falconer three-pointer at 13:07 before Touro used a 7-0 run to tie it up at 16 on a jumper by Danzel Laglaise. After
Bryant's jumper put the Express back in front 18-16 at 7:13, Touro College scored six of the following nine points to retake the lead for the first time since the game's opening bucket 22-21 on a Cameron Brown layup at 3:57. Monroe-Bronx closed out the first half on an 8-0 run capped off by two
Falconer free throws with 17 seconds left, giving the Express a 29-22 lead at halftime.
The Express stretched their lead to nine, 31-22, their largest of the game on a
Falconer jumper at 19:17 before Touro grasped the momentum the rest of the way using a ferocious 17-3 run to go back in front 35-34 on a Danzel Laglaise a layup at 13:24 and increased it to five, 39-34 at 12:25 on a Herby Plaisimond jumper. The Express got as close as one 39-38 on a
Falconer jumper at 11:01 before Touro put the game away with a 10-2 run to run the lead their largest of the game, nine, 49-40 at 5:32 on a Mamadou Coulibaly layup at 5:32. Touro College held off a late Express rally to get the victory 57-54.
For Touro College, three players finished the evening in double-figures, and two posted double-doubles as Cameron Brown drained a team-high 14 points and joined Danzel Laglaise to grab a game-high tying 15 rebounds. Nelis Wise contributed 11 points in the contest, and Laglaise also chipped in with 10 points while Brown led Touro defensively with a game-best five steals and a team-high three assists.
The Express JV men's basketball team will look to get back to their winning ways next Thursday, February 11, against Herkimer CC at 6 p.m. at the Monroe Athletic Complex. For more information, visit the
Monroe Express Men's Basketball Schedule Page.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress), and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).
