Box Score Monmouth's offense lit up the second half in a 95-77 win at Illinois College Monday night to pull into a three-way tie for the Midwest Conference lead heading into the holiday break.
 
The Scots trailed by seven at the half, but hit nearly 70 percent (23 of 33) of their second half shots including a 7 of 13 performance from 3-point range to turn the tide in a game that saw 18 lead changes. Freshman D.J. Swift – who turned in a game and career high 22 points and drained six of his nine 3-point shots – knotted the game at 47-all on a 3-ball just two minutes into the second half as Monmouth then gained the lead for good on Lamont Mitchell's bucket in the lane with 15:37 left.          
 
Monmouth surged ahead over the next 10 minutes, sinking 15 or their 17 shots, including two runs of seven straight baskets.
 
Justin Aluya joined Swift in double figures with 19 points, Mitchell added 15 while Will jones and Paul Engo III added 10 each. Engo narrowly missed a double-double, pulling down nine rebounds.
 
The win moved the Scots to 4-0 in the MWC, to sit atop the standings with idel Lake Forest and St. Norbert. Monmouth and Lake Forest will meet in Lake Forest on Jan. 3 in the first league game after the break for both schools.