MONMOUTH HAWKS
Coach: Dave Calloway | Record: 18-14
Overview:
Monmouth waited until almost the very last
possible second to secure its ticket to the Big
Dance, but for Hawk fans, it was worth the wait.
Chris Kenny drove the length of the court after a
missed Farleigh Dickinson free throw and scored with
2.1 seconds left to propel Monmouth to a 49-48
victory in the Northeast Conference Tournament
championship game. It's been a nice run for the
Hawks, especially after graduating NEC Player of the
Year Blake Hamilton.
Possible Difference Maker: Center John Bunch
led Division III in blocked shots two years ago
while playing for Lincoln University (Pa.). He
blocked an NCAA single-game record 18 shots for
Lincoln in a win over Valley Forge Christian College
back on Dec. 13, 2004, and he's still rejecting
shots at Monmouth. During the Hawks' current three
game winning streak, he's swatted 13 shots.
On Offense: Monmouth runs a variation of the
Princeton offense looking for backdoor cuts,
hand-offs, and downscreens for their shooters. They
have a big kid that can cause problems for any team
inside in John Bunch who is
On Defense: They will play a matchup zone
defense aggressively that is difficult to play
against. They will extend on shooters, double the
posts and bump cutters.
Strength: They have great Senior leadership
and an inside game to go along with their
disciplined system on offense and a different
defense to prepare for.
Weakness: They do not have a break down guard
with the dribble. They have been outrebounded on the
offensive glass 414-283, so you can pound them on
the boards and y beat them in transition.
Keys to Success: Their zone defense has to
confuse and keep offenses stagnant. They need to get
some cheap baskets in their offensive system and
hold their own on the boards.
How to Beat Them: Be aggressive against their
zone and do not stand in your zone offense. You can
also beat them down the floor in transition. They
will struggle with pressure defense and anything
that disrupts their offensive system.
