Box Score
WAYNE, NJ – The William Paterson men’s basketball team held on for a 68-66 conference win over visiting Rowan University on Saturday.
Guard Joey Spiegel (jr. Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) put the Pioneers up by six points (68-62) when he hit two free throws with 36 seconds left in the game. Rowan forward Matt Byrnes (jr. Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) cut the lead to two points. Byrnes made two foul shots (0:25) and a layup (0:12). William Paterson traveled to turn the ball over and Rowan’s last attempt to tie the score failed in the final ticks of the clock.
William Paterson is 12-6 overall and 3-3 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Rowan is 13-3 on the season with a 3-2 NJAC mark.
The Pioneers had three players that scored in double figures. Forward Luis Martinez (sr. Passaic, NJ/Clifton) totaled 15 points, forward Samir Sanu (sr. Edison, NJ/Sayreville) contributed with 13 and Spiegel added 10.
For the Profs, guard Thomas Baker (sr. Millville, NJ/Millville) scored a game-high 25 points. Byrnes compiled 20 points and pulled down 10 boards.
Rowan trailed 24-21 after the first half. William Paterson pulled away and was ahead by 11 points (37-26) at 14:33 after Sanu’s three-pointer. The Profs answered with eight straight points to pull within three points (37-34) at 12:47. Forward Dwayne Reevey (jr. Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven) had a layup, Baker made three foul shots and Byrnes nailed a three. With 7:24 remaining, Byrnes’ two free throws cut the deficit to two (49-47). Again the Pioneers went back up by 11 points (59-48) at 5:01. The Profs came back with a 10-2 run in a two minute span and they were down 62-58. Byrnes’ layup with 1:11 left pulled the Profs within four points (66-62). He finished the half with 13 points while Baker had 19.
There were six ties in the first period with the last one (18-18) with 3:02 left. Martinez’s basket tied the score for the Pioneers. Rowan was ahead by one (21-20) after forward Tim Cook’s (fr. Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) basket at 1:20. Martinez made two straight layups, 1:01 and 0:15, for a three point advantage at the half.
Rowan is on the road again at conference opponent Richard Stockton College on Wednesday, January 24 at 8 p.m.
