Box Score

ASTON, PA – The Neumann University men’s basketball team had an 84-79 win over Rowan University in a nonconference game on Saturday afternoon.

Neumann improves to 1-2, while Rowan has a 3-2 record. The Knights were led by guard Marquise Boggs (sr. Conshohocken, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) with 18 points, eight assists and four steals. Guard Patrick O’Conner (jr. Wilmington, DE/St. Elizabeth) followed with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Guard Mike Walukiewicz (jr. Elmer, NJ/Cumberland Reg.) registered 13 points, while guard Bill Slade (fr. Philadelphia, PA/American Heritage (FL)) had 12.

For the Profs, guards Akeem Johnson (jr. Gouldtown, NJ/Bridgeton) and Roger Loatman (jr. Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) each scored 14 points. Johnson also had five steals. Guard Sean Hughes (sr. Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro) compiled 12 points. Guard Kendall White (so. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) posted 11 points and seven rebounds. Guard Rich McNamara (fr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) grabbed 10 boards.

Neumann led 43-30 at halftime. Boggs’ three-pointer at 13:41 in the second period made the score, 60-37. The Knights were ahead, 63-44 at 11:13. Rowan scored seven straight points to pull within 12 (63-51) at 9:09. Loatman had three points, while White and Hughes each had two. Johnson had a layup (7:25) and McNamara sunk a free throw (6:42) to cut the deficit to nine (66-57). Neumann forward Mark Blount (fr. Philadelphia, PA/William Penn) stretched the lead to 12 (73-61) with a layup at the five minute mark.

Rowan went on an 8-0 run to make the score 73-69 at 3:16. Loatman tallied four points and Johnson and McNamara had two apiece. O’Conner converted two free throws (1:34) and Boggs had one (1:13) to increase the advantage to seven (78-71). Hughes answered with a layup (1:06), but O’Conner had two foul shots (:57) and Blount added a dunk (:40) to go ahead by nine (82-73). Hughes recorded a layup at the 30 second mark and McNamara had back-to-back layups at :20 and :05 to come within three (82-79). Walukiewicz nailed two free throws (:04) to seal the win. He had all 13 of his points in the second half. Loatman scored 12 for the Profs.

The game was tied three times in the first period. The last one (8-8) came at 15:45. Neumann took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Boggs at 15:14. White’s layup at 12:13 made the score 16-13. O’Conner’s layup (11:23) extended the lead to seven (20-13). Rowan forward Tim Matchett (sr. Pitman, NJ/Pitman) made two foul shots (9:49). Neumann had an 11-2 run to pull ahead, 31-17. Slade hit three three-pointers. Guard Laud Anderson’s (sr. North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick Twp.) jumper at 1:13 cut the deficit to 10 (40-30). Knights’ guard Terrance Clark (jr. Middletown, DE/Middletown) sunk a three-pointer (:55) to make the score, 43-30 at the intermission. Boggs scored 12 points in the period, while Johnson had 10.

Rowan plays at Ramapo College in its conference opener on Tuesday, November 30 at 7 p.m.