Jim Mower scored 19 points and Lafayette used a strong 3-point shooting performance to defeat Monmouth (N.J.) 69-54 in a nonconference game Wednesday night.
Mower was 5 of 9 from 3-point range for the Leopards (5-7), including two in a span of 1:13 in the first half after the Hawks (2-11) had scored nine straight points to cut Lafayette's lead to 24-20.
Three-pointers by Levi Giese, Nick Petkovich and Seth Hinrichs in the opening 3:39 of the second half helped Lafayette increase its lead to 44-28, and it never led by fewer than 13 points after that.
The Leopards shot 45.2 percent (14 of 31) from 3-point range in the game to Monmouth's 25 percent (5 of 20).
Joey Ptasinski scored 11 points for Lafayette, including 3 of 5 on 3-pointers, and Hinrichs had 10 points.
Will Campbell scored 12 points and Jesse Steele 11 for the Hawks.
