Box Score Monmouth's playoff hopes took a hit Wednesday night when poor shooting doomed the Fighting Scots in their last regular season road game of the year. On Illinois College's senior night the Blue Boys held the hot hand, shooting 52 percent from the field and 33 percent from three, to knock off the Scots 84-80, dropping Monmouth into fifth place the league a game behind Lake Forest with one game to play.
 
Illinois College led for much of the game, but senior low post player Ben Friday led the early charge for the Scots, posting seven of the Scots first nine points. Friday finished the first half with 10 points and five rebounds.
 
Searching for an answer to the Scots inside presence, Mitchell Patterson and Cody Hildebrand lit the fire for the Blue Boys. In the first half of play, they combined for 26 of Illinois College's 34 points.
 
The Scots coughed the ball up eight separate times and shot only 37.1 percent from the floor in the first half, but only trailed by five, 34-29 at the intermission.
 
Illinois College continued to lead for the majority of the second half as Patterson and Hildebrand poured in 24 points and 17 points, respectively. The Blue Boys converted 19 points off of turnovers and led by as much as 12 in the second half before the Scots mounted one last rally.
 
Trailing by seven, 79-72 with 1:13 left, Lamont Mitchell drained a three and seconds later scored in the paint. Will Jones followed with a 3-poitner with five seconds left to cut the margin to 83-80. IC iced the game by sinking a free throw with two seconds left.
 
Mitchell led the Scots with 21 points and Friday added 20 . Friday finished the night shooting 90 percent from the floor and securing seven rebounds.
 
With the loss, the Fighting Scots slipped into fifth place in the Midwest Conference at 9-8, a game behind Lake Forest for the final playoff berth. The Scots host Lawrence Saturday in a 1 p.m. tip off for Senior Day.