BEAVER DAM - Turnovers plagued the Monroe boys basketball team in a 60-33 loss to Beaver Dam in a non-conference game Saturday.
"We struggled to make a shot and we had 19 turnovers," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "That is a bad combination."
Beaver Dam's Tyler Mahnke scored a game-high 14 points. Monroe senior Austin Murphy scored a team-high seven points. With the loss, Monroe drops to 2-6, 0-3 Badger South.
The Beavers went on a 20-8 first-quarter run and built a 13-point lead by the half.
The Beavers have four returning starters from last year's team including a 6-7 transfer student. "We knew they would be good," Murphy said. "Our turnovers led to some easy baskets for them. Any time you are down 20 some points in the fourth quarter, it's a disappointing feeling we don't want again. We played two good quarters and against a good team like Beaver Dam you can't do that. Sometimes your best defense is a patient offense."
Monroe senior Desmond Ford, sophomore Alex Tordoff and junior Ben Latimer each scored five points.
Monroe will play at Dodgeville today. Dodgeville is 5-3 and they have several players back.
Dodgeville had to get past Monroe to win the state championship in 1964 when there was just one division. Monroe returned the favor beating Dodgeville on their way to a state title in 1965. Murphy grew up in Mineral Point, which is about seven miles from Dodgeville and his father, Ron Murphy, went to Dodgeville.
"The Dodgeville and Monroe history has been present for a long time," Murphy said. "They (Dodgeville) are predicted to win their conference. Our defense will always be there. We just need to find some offense. We have to find a way to play four solid quarters."
"We struggled to make a shot and we had 19 turnovers," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "That is a bad combination."
Beaver Dam's Tyler Mahnke scored a game-high 14 points. Monroe senior Austin Murphy scored a team-high seven points. With the loss, Monroe drops to 2-6, 0-3 Badger South.
The Beavers went on a 20-8 first-quarter run and built a 13-point lead by the half.
The Beavers have four returning starters from last year's team including a 6-7 transfer student. "We knew they would be good," Murphy said. "Our turnovers led to some easy baskets for them. Any time you are down 20 some points in the fourth quarter, it's a disappointing feeling we don't want again. We played two good quarters and against a good team like Beaver Dam you can't do that. Sometimes your best defense is a patient offense."
Monroe senior Desmond Ford, sophomore Alex Tordoff and junior Ben Latimer each scored five points.
Monroe will play at Dodgeville today. Dodgeville is 5-3 and they have several players back.
Dodgeville had to get past Monroe to win the state championship in 1964 when there was just one division. Monroe returned the favor beating Dodgeville on their way to a state title in 1965. Murphy grew up in Mineral Point, which is about seven miles from Dodgeville and his father, Ron Murphy, went to Dodgeville.
"The Dodgeville and Monroe history has been present for a long time," Murphy said. "They (Dodgeville) are predicted to win their conference. Our defense will always be there. We just need to find some offense. We have to find a way to play four solid quarters."
