MONMOUTH, IL – In a high-paced conference matchup at Glennie Gymnasium, the Beloit College Buccaneers displayed remarkable resilience and offensive flashes, ultimately falling just short in a 74-66 battle against Monmouth College this afternoon. Despite never holding the lead, the Buccaneers (5-15,0-11 MWC) refused to go quietly, pushing the Fighting Scots (16-4,11-0 MWC) until the final whistle.
The Buccaneers were powered by a standout performance from Owen Geiger (Fort Atkinson, Wis.), who finished with a game-high and career-high 24 points. Geiger was remarkably efficient, shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and a scorching 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. His presence was felt most at the charity stripe, where he remained perfect, sinking all seven of his free-throw attempts.
Joining Geiger in the backcourt was Anthony Carter (Greenfield, Wis.), the team's "ironman," who played over 38 minutes of the 40-minute contest. Carter contributed 18 points and dished out three assists, consistently finding ways to penetrate the Monmouth defense. Austin Walker (Princeville, Ill.) also reached double figures for Beloit, chipping in 10 points and playing a key role in the team's defensive efforts.
The defining moment for Beloit came midway through the first half. After a slow start that saw Monmouth jump out to a commanding 13-point lead (18-5) with 14:26 remaining, the Buccaneers flipped the script.
Beloit locked in defensively and orchestrated a massive 11-0 scoring run. During this stretch, the Buccaneers stifled the Fighting Scots for over eight minutes of game time, clawing back to within two points at 28-26. This momentum shift silenced the home crowd and proved that Beloit could compete with the top tier of the conference, turning a potential blowout into a localized dogfight.
The second half saw both teams trade blows, with Beloit matching Monmouth's intensity. The Buccaneers found success from the perimeter, shooting a collective 41.7% from three-point range for the game—significantly outperforming Monmouth's 29.4%.
However, the depth of the Fighting Scots proved to be the deciding factor. Monmouth's bench outscored Beloit's reserves 49-14, providing fresh legs that allowed the Scots to pull away in the closing minutes.
The Buccaneers are back in action at home at Flood Arena on Wednesday, February 4th to host Lake Forest. Tip off is set for 5:30 pm.
