Basketball season comes to a conclusion

By: Ian Van Anden
Sports Editor

The men’s basketball team made it to a .500 overall record, finishing 11-11. In the Midwest Conference, however, the Scots were just 7-9. The team did finish the season on a high note, winning three of five games in the final month of the season.

The Scots started off the season hot, winning three of their first four games. Then, in the heart of their season, they dragged through a five-game losing streak.

For the rest of the season, it was up and down. The team was unable to put together consecutive wins.

Despite the team’s apparent struggles, they had their sights on the Midwest Conference Tournament.

On Wednesday Feb. 7, the Scots had an important conference win over rival Knox College. The Scots doused the Prairie Fire 73-70, to walk away from the season series 1-1.

The threesome which led the Scots was juniors Joe Terwelp and Blaise Rogers, joined by senior Raun Singleton.

Singleton averaged 15.5 points a game and was MC’s main threat from behind the arc, draining 67 shots from downtown. Terwelp was Monmouth’s threat in the paint, as he led the team in scoring averages with 16.7 points a game. Terwelp was also the Scots’ leading rebounder, despite missing three games due to illness. The forward averaged 6.6 rebounds a game.

Rogers had a solid junior campaign; he was third on the team, averaging 13.8 points a game, second with a 5.5 rebound average and first on the team with 2.8 assists per contest.

Another junior, Andy Moore, was also a key contributor for Monmouth. Moore was the team’s leading rebounder and number one on the team with 22 blocked shots.

With three solid juniors returning for next year, the Scots have a roster which could do some damage in the 2007-2008 campaign. The program also has some talent waiting in the wings, including freshman guard Tyler Morrow.

The 11-11 record was a vast improvement from the 8-13 mark posted in the 2005-2006 record. Head coach Terry Glasgow has a team on the rise awaiting the next season. Glasgow, who also serves as the college’s athletic director, has a young team which could boost them into the Midwest Conference tournament.

The team only missed the tournament in the waning days of the regular season when they were eliminated with only days remaining. With the crowded heart of the Midwest Conference standings, improvement and the postseason could be just one or two wins in the 2007-2008 season.

With the exceptions of seniors Caleb Bennett and Singleton, the roster will remain intact. Monmouth fans have to be salivating for next year, as the Scots could really do some damage.