MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The Methodist men's basketball team shot 54.8 percent from the floor and led wire to wire in defeating Huntingdon on the road, 80-69, on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Monarchs (4-7, 1-1 USA South) knocked down 34-of-62 shots from the floor, including a perfect 9-for-9 effort from Brandon Monk, who scored a game-high 19 points. Huntingdon, which fell to 2-9 overall and 1-1 in the league was led by Jerome Davis, who matched Monk's 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
 
MU opened the game scoring 18 of the first 25 points to take an 18-7 lead on a jumper by Desmond Parker at the 13:53 mark. The Monarchs hit seven of their first 12 shots, including a stretch of five in a row, while the Hawks were limited to 3-of-10 shooting.
 
Late in the half, the Hawks made a push and cut MU's lead to a single point (34-33) as Davis hit a jumper at the 2:47 mark that capped a 13-4 run over a nearly five minute spurt. Monk answered the surge with three consecutive buckets for a 40-33 lead, and Parker capped the half with a layup 10 seconds before the halftime whistle for a 42-33 lead at the break.
 
The Hawks came out of the locker room and promptly cut into the MU lead, using a 9-1 run to pull within a single-point (43-42) less than three minutes into the final stanza. Jackson Whitley answered the Hawks' run with a layup for a 45-42 lead, and a pair of free throws by Mike Major gave Methodist a 47-42 lead.
 
After HC pulled within three points once more, the Monarchs extended their lead out to 11 points (65-54) by the 8:14 mark after a three-point play by Davion Ayabarreno and Huntingdon was never able to pull closer than seven points the rest of the way.
 
Methodist was out rebounded, 41-32, but limited Huntingdon to 40.3 percent shooting (27-67) on the day. The Monarchs also committed just 10 turnovers while forcing the Hawks into 16.
 
In addition to Monks' big game, MU got 13 points from Tabias Hilliard, 12 from Major and a career-high 10 from Jackson Whitley. T.J. Gill finished with nine points and a team-best five rebounds, Whitley had three blocks and Major came away with six steals.
 
For Huntingdon, Dantavius Washington had a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Andre Ashley added 15 points and eight boards.
 
The Monarchs will now return home on Friday when they host Covenant at 5:30 pm.