Monmouth's postseason plans will have to wait after Tuesday's 76-72 overtime loss at Cornell.
 
The Scots led 42-32 at halftime, but a Rams' rally in the second half came to fruition on a game-tying bucket-and-one with nine seconds left to force overtime. Monmouth led for most of the game, but the Rams fought back in the second half, briefly taking a one-point lead midway through the half. Knotted at 55-all with 11:15 to play, D.J. Swift hit for two of his 17 points to open a 9-2 run. Alec Hayes followed Swift's bucket as the Scots began to roll. Nate Schroeder's pair of buckets ensued as the bread around a Trevor Davis layup, moving the Scots to a 64-57 lead with just under six minutes to play.
 
The Rams countered with their own run in the final five minutes, cutting the margin to a single possession with 2:34 to play. Trailing 66-63, the Rams burned a timeout at the 1:08 mark and eventually earned the old-fashioned three-point play to force OT when Monmouth's last-second tip-in missed the mark.
 
Cornell took advantage in the extra session, scoring the first bucket and never trailing to drop the Scots into a tie with Grinnell for the final MWC berth. Four teams – Monmouth, Grinnell, Cornell and Lake Forest are all still vying for two berths. The Scots and Pioneers each have one game remaining. The Rams and Foresters meet in a makeup game Thursday prior to Saturday's regular season finale.
 
If the Fighting Scots are to punch their third straight Midwest Conference Tournament berth outright, they'll have to knock off St. Norbert on the final day of the regular season for the second straight year or take their chances in a possible multi-team tie for the final spot. Saturday's tipoff at St. Norbert is set for 1 p.m.