Box Score Monmouth clinched the No. 2 seed at next weekend's Midwest Conference Tournament with a 73-59 win at Lawrence Saturday afternoon.

The Scots led for all but four minutes to finish at 13-5 in the league, returning to the posteason for the first time since 1999.

The teams rtraded the lead six times in the first four minutes before Riley Blea's 3-pointer gave Monmouth the lead for good. The Scots stretched the first half lead to 14 on a layup by Andrew Mathison with 5:49 left in the period. Mathison put an exclamation point on  a 38-28 halftime lead with a dunk on the Scots last possession of the half.

Lawrence rallied briefly in the second half, cutting the Monmouth lead to five at 52-47 with 10:05 left thanks to a 10-2 run. A 3-pointer by Will Jones and a pair of free throws from Mathison on his way to a game-high 21 points pushed the Vikings back to a 10-point deficit. Monmouth kept Lawrence at bay over the final nine minutes to end the regulars season at 16-7.

Jones joined Mathison in double figures with 17 points while Blea chipped in 12 from the bench.