Salnave, Hammond help Monmouth end regular season by getting off schneid to down Manhattan

Ray Salnave flirted with triple-double as Monmouth defeated Manhattan to end four-game losing streak in regular season finale Friday. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

NEW YORK -- Coming into its regular season finale on a four-game losing streak that illustrated the peaks and valleys by which its campaign has come to be defined, Monmouth entered Draddy Gymnasium -- a longtime house of horrors for the Hawks since joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 2013 -- in search of a pick-me-up, any type of good vibe to bring forth into next week's conference tournament.

It received one in an understatedly brilliant homecoming from its budding star point guard.

Behind the patient hand and calm instinct of Ray Salnave, Monmouth overcame a pesky Manhattan opponent Friday night, rallying behind its floor general to spark a gritty victory at both ends of the floor, defeating the Jaspers by the final of 62-54 in a contest that saw equal parts offensive flash and defensive clinic in what ended up being more than Hawks fans could ask for in the final prelude before the fight for an NCAA Tournament berth.

"We did a good job of handling what was thrown at us," said Salnave, the former Cardozo standout who finished one rebound and one assist shy of a triple-double, his nine boards and nine helpers supplementing a game-high 18 points. "Manhattan's pressure is probably one of the best in the league -- if not the best -- and I feel like I did a good job of handling it. My teammates did a good job of making themselves available whenever I needed help, and I think we did a good job of staying together the whole game."

"I think he dominated the game off the ball," Manhattan head coach Steve Masiello assessed of Salnave and his role in registering a critical road win. "He had nine assists to three turnovers, nine rebounds, eight defensive. From your point guard position, that's as good as I've seen him play, and I thought he totally controlled and dictated what Monmouth wanted to do. Ray was the difference tonight."

Aside from Salnave, Monmouth (11-20, 10-8 MAAC) also saw the return of Deion Hammond's long-distance stroke, as the Hawks' other sophomore backcourt talent poured in 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, making good on four of his eight attempts from beyond the arc on a night where marksmanship ultimately helped decide the game, as the visitors held Manhattan to a meager 5-for-29 showing from deep as part of a lackluster 32 percent effort overall.

"Deion's one of the best shooters in the league," Salnave expounded. "When you've got someone like him, you've got to make sure you get him involved. There's more to his game besides the shooting, but once he gets one or two, gets himself going, then he opens himself up to be able to do more things."

"I thought we settled a little bit," Masiello said of shot selection for the Jaspers (9-20, 7-10 MAAC) in Manhattan's home finale and penultimate regular season contest. "You've got to mix it up a little bit. I thought we settled a little bit and bailed them out, but give them credit."

Following a defense-oriented first several minutes, Monmouth's back-to-back threes from Hammond and Salnave opened up a 10-2 advantage that Manhattan would soon cut into over the course of the opening stanza, ultimately forging a lead midway through the second half on the strength of a 10-1 run. But the Hawks would recover, as Hammond tied the score at 49-all on a jumper with 8:34 to play in regulation, then regained the lead for good just over three minutes later on a game-ending 10-2 spurt in which Salnave punctuated the comeback with the final four points of the night at the free throw line.

"I think it all goes together," head coach King Rice complimented with regard to his starting backcourt. "When Ray plays how he played today, he has the potential to be one of the best guards in the league. Tonight, he started the game that way. When he starts the game where he gets to his spots, and then gets other guys involved, we're a much better team. Deion's a much better player when Ray creates and gets him things."

Now in the proverbial clubhouse while the rest of the league fights for tournament seeding going into next week's convocation in Albany, Monmouth is assured of either the No. 4, 5, or 6 seeds, with the first two of those carrying an all-important first-round bye and eliminating the daunting task of having to win four games in five days to punch its NCAA Tournament ticket. When asked if a potential bye would be more advantageous to his team, Rice was diplomatic in addressing the benefits of a less circuitous route, but underscored a more desirable objective in doing so.

"I want to see my team playing with the right energy and staying together for 40 minutes," he said. "Tonight, we stayed together for 40 minutes, and hopefully we keep that same energy going into next week."

"Everybody fights to get in the top five, so you'd like to be there because it helps in the tournament. But we want to get to Monday night and win. However we've got to get there, that's what the goal is. We just want to go up there and have a chance to get to Monday night and win."