Monmouth came back from a double-digit first half deficit, but Coe hit their free throws down the stretch to hold off the Scots 84-80 Tuesday night in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Led by D.J. Swift, who went 8-for-15 from 3-point range and registered 21 second half points, the Scots used a barrage of 3-pointers in the last half to cut the margin to a single possession late in the game. Trailing 43-32 at the half, Monmouth roared back in the second 20 minutes and closed within four at 65-61 on Jonathan Oradiegwu's 3-ball at the 9:38 mark. Justin Batterton followed with a layup on Monmouth's next possession to pull the Scots within one possession at 65-63.
 
Coe responded with a free throw and two buckets to increase the gap before Batterton scored inside again to keep the Scots close at 70-68 with 6:05 remaining. A Swift 3-pointer 90 seconds later closed the gap to its closest margin at 72-71 before the Kohawks hit 9-of-12 free throws in the final three minutes to hold off the Scots despite a pair of 27-point nights from Swift and Will Carius.
 
Monmouth returns to Glennie Gym to host Loras in a 4 p.m. nonconference contest on Dec. 29.