Monis Wins the Game at the Buzzer

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team defeated Indiana University-Northwest 83-81 in the final game of the 2022 Gundersen Hotel & Suites Viterbo Men's Basketball Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The V-Hawks improve to 5-3 while the Red Hawks drop to 2-4.

After getting down 10-4 early, Jack Monis would go to work in the post, scoring 13 of Viterbo's next 15 points, including an and-one and a Robert Cunitz-assisted layup. However, the V-Hawks still trailed 20-28 at the 11:27 mark after Jared Johnson's layup. Dakota Mannel set up three straight baskets for Viterbo, including a Colin Adam's three, a Luke Spink layup, and a Keegan Severn jumper to close the deficit to 27-30 with 8:15 left in the half. Mannel put in a layup of his own to put Viterbo in the lead 37-36 with 1:58 left, but Nicky Flesher nailed a three with :23 seconds left to put IUN up 39-43 going into the break.

Monis led all players with 19 first half points and grabbed three rebounds, while Mannel had three points and dished out four assists. Johnson had seven points and five rebounds for the Red Hawks.

Alex King started off the second half with an Olson-assisted three for the V-Hawks, but IUN responded with an 8-0 capped by Isaac Stanback's layup at 17:55. An Olson steal led to a Mannel and-one, and threes from Olson, Mannel, and Cunitz brought the V-Hawks back within two, before Severn tied the game 63-63 with a layup at 10:45. IUN would build another multiple-possession lead after Johnson's three at 8:25 put the up 65-73, but Cunitz scored a quick five points, as did Alex King, and the game was tied again at 75-75 with 4:28 left. With a minute left, Cunitz split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 79-79. Javion Reed responded by hitting two of his own with :45 left, but Mannel found Olson for a layup to tie the game again with :24 left. With no shot clock on, IUN looked for the final shot, but Monis drew a charge to take possession. A full court inbound pass found Monis, and after a pump fake, Monis drew the shooting foul with 0:.1 left on the clock and sank two free throws for the win.

The teams shot nearly identically from the field, 49% for Viterbo and 50% for IUN, but the V-Hawks had the edge from three, 50%-40%. The Red Hawks won the rebound battle 36-29, but turned the ball over six more times than the V-Hawks.

Monis had a team high 21 points and seven rebounds, Olson and Cunitz each had 14, King scored 11 with six boards, and Mannel had a double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists.

Johnson led all players with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Stanback had an all-around stat line of seven points, eight rebounds, two steals, and a block.

Viterbo returns to action on Monday, November 28 with an exhibition game at Winona State University (Minn.)