MONMOUTH, Ill. -- The Ripon College men's basketball team battled on the road Wednesday night but came up short in an 81-75 loss at Monmouth College inside Glennie Gymnasium.

Ripon kept the game tight throughout, leading by one at halftime, 37-36, after an efficient first half. Senior Kolby Williams (New Orleans, La., Heights HS) set the tone early, attacking the paint and finishing the night with a team-high 15 points while also pulling down eight rebounds. Sophomore Michael Asman (Kimberly, Wis., Kimberly HS) and junior Seth Bunders (Wauzeka, Wis., Wauzeka-Steuben HS) each added 14 points, giving the Red Hawks a balanced scoring effort as they shot 48.3 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes.

The Red Hawks continued to trade baskets with Monmouth early in the second half, staying within striking distance behind strong contributions from the bench. Junior Jack Field (Wisconsin Dells, Wis., Marian University) provided a spark, knocking down three three-pointers on his way to nine points, while sophomore Sam Leoni (Hartland, Wis., Arrowhead HS) chipped in eight points and four rebounds. Ripon finished the night with 23 bench points and hit 40 percent of its shots from beyond the arc.

Despite Ripon's offensive balance, the Red Hawks struggled to slow Monmouth's momentum down the stretch. Ripon cut the deficit to as close as five points in the final two minutes, highlighted by late three-pointers from Asman and Bunders, but was unable to fully close the gap.

Bunders finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Asman added 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Williams' presence inside was key all night, as he also contributed defensively with a block and a steal.

Ripon will look to bounce back in Midwest Conference play as they travel to Illinois College on Saturday, Jan 10. Tip-off is set for 1pm.