MONMOUTH, Ill. - Ripon's men's basketball team shot a season-best 60 percent (34-57) from the field Friday night, which helped lift them to an 85-70 victory at Monmouth College. The Red Hawks also made 33 percent (5-15) of their 3-pointers, while holding Monmouth to 44 percent (25-57) shooting from the field.

Monmouth (8-6, 5-2 MWC) took an early 6-2 lead, before Ripon (7-5, 4-3 MWC) scored eight consecutive points to take their first lead of the game. The lead changed hands seven times in the first half, with the Red Hawks establishing control late in the period on a 3-pointer by Isaac Masters to give them the lead for good. That was part of a 9-1 run to end the half, as Ripon took a 41-33 lead into halftime.

Masters, who scored 19 points in the first half, continued his hot hand in the second half, giving Ripon their first double-digit lead on the opening possession of the period. Monmouth would cut that lead to six with 16 minutes remaining, but that's as close as they would get the rest of the night. Ripon led by as many as 17 points, with that lead coming mid-way through the second half.

Masters finished with a career-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Cal Schultz added 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and four rebounds, while Tyler Semenas posted 14 points and five boards. Trent Jones also chipped in with 12 points and team-highs of six rebounds and four assists.

Monmouth was led by Will Jones' double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with a team-high four assists. Justin Batterton added 16 points, while Paul Engo III scored 11.

The win keeps Ripon in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Midwest Conference standings. The Red Hawks will be in action again on Saturday when they'll travel to Cornell College. That game is scheduled to tip-off at 1 p.m. in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and can be seen live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.