Salem, OR – Senior guard
AKBAR HOFFMAN scored 23 points leading five players in double figure as Montclair State earned a split of its West Coast trip with a 107-74 victory over Wilammette University on Saturday. The win was the first for new MSU head coach Justin Potts, who took over the program in August.
Senior forward
EDDIE EMEDOH added 20 points and four rebounds for the Red Hawks (1-1), who topped the century mark for the second consecutive day. It is the first time that MSU has opened the year and recorded back-to-back 100 points games since the 1968-69 campaign when it accomplished the feat in the first three contests that season.
The Red Hawks built a 16-point halftime lead and never trailed in the game. Emedoh and Hoffman opened the contest with three-pointer and one from
JOSEPH RADI with 13:20 to play gave Montclair a 16-6 advantage.
IRVING CALLENDER IV made one at the line to double up the Bearcats 22-11 with a Hoffman layup pushing the lead to 29-14 with 8:27 remaining.
Hoffman gave Montclair State its largest lead of the first half at 48-29 and sank two at the foul line as the Red Hawks headed into the break in front, 52-36.
Willamette was able to whittle the deficit to 60-51 early in the second half however Callender answered with two foul shots before Steven Breeman drilled a three restoring the lead to 65-51 with 15:34 to play. The Red Hawks would lead by no less than 12 points the rest of the way.
Callender finished with 14 points and six rebounds while
JUSTIN PORTER collected 12 points and a team-best nine rebounds.
JALEN PARHAM was the fifth player in double figures totaling 10 with four rebounds.
Montclair shot 50 percent from the field in the game (36-of-72) and made 25-of-39 at the foul line (64 percent). MSU outrebounded the Bearcats 54-41 including 17 offensive boards which led to 24 second-chance points.
The Red Hawks will fly back home and then travel to Arlington, VA next weekend for the Pablo Coto Tip-Off Tournament at Marymount University. MSU faces Bridgewater (VA) on Friday at 3:00 pm.
