New Rochelle, NY, February 12, 2021 – Monroe-Bronx used a balanced offensive attack for the fifth straight game with four players scoring in double-figures to pick up a crucial Regional victory over Dutchess Community College, 70-62, on Saturday afternoon on Sophomore Day at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Express's second straight victory improved their record to 19-8 (11-4 Region XV), keeping their chances of hosting a quarterfinal matchup, while the Falcons fall to 11-8 (8-5 Region XV) with the loss.
 
Before the game, the Monroe Express paid tribute to its five graduating sophomores with a special Sophomore Day ceremony honoring Isaiah Stone (Baldwin, New York), Jabnel Cordero (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico), Issac Johnson (Bronx, New York), Jaiden Simon (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Onterio Miller (Bronx, New York).
 
Stone dropped a team-high 18 points and brought down a game-best tied eight boards, while Cordero contributed 15 points and knocked down a career-high five three-pointers to set a new single-season record for threes made with 57 passing Louis Florimon's total of 53 from 2017-18. Freshman Jasigha Barnes (Baldwin, New York) added 13 points and team-high tied four assists and two steals alongside Siddiq McNair (Philadelphia, Pennslyvania). Johnson added 10 points, and Simon snatched a team-high tied two steals.
 
The Express outrebounded Dutchess Community College 36-33 while outscoring the Falcons in the paint 36-22 and getting 23 points from their bench.
 
Both teams went back and forth in a matchup that featured 10 different lead changes and five ties. After both teams were tied three times over the first 7:46 of the first half, Dutchess took a 17-13 lead on a Kai Woods layup at 11:48 before the Express ran off a 12-2 run capped off by a Cordero three-pointer at 6:43, giving them a 25-19 advantage. The Falcons responded with an 8-2 run retaking the lead 29-27 at 2:23 on a Jacob Barnett three-pointer at 2:23 before taking a 35-34 advantage into halftime.
 
The Express came out of the locker room firing in the second half with an 11-2 run to stretch their lead to eight at 16:00, 45-37 on a Simon three-point play. After a three-pointer by Iziah Pigott cut the deficit to 45-40 at 15:01, Monroe-Bronx responded with an 11-1 run, stretching the lead to double-digits, 10, 51-41 on a McNair jumper at 12:12. The Express built their lead to 13 its largest of the afternoon, 57-44 at 9:06 on a Stone layin. Dutchess Community College would not go away outscoring Monroe-Bronx to cut the deficit down to four, 66-62 on a pair of Jeremiah Williams free-throws before the Express recorded the final five points on two Barnes layups at 1:18 and with 33 seconds left to take the game 70-62. 
 
Dutchess Community College had two players post 20 point scoring efforts led by Jeremiah Williams, who put up a game-high 25 points and five assists to go along with a team-high tying two steals. Jacob Barnett also drained 22 points while Iziah Pigott hauled down a team-best eight boards and tied another with two steals.
 
The Express will look to extend their winning streak to three in their season finale Tuesday, February 15, against Regional opponent Nassau Community College at 8 p.m. at the Monroe Athletic Complex. For more information, please 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).