Box Score

EWING, NJ – The College of New Jersey men’s basketball team defeated Rowan University, 74-70 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opener on Wednesday night.

The Lions are 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference.  The Profs have a 3-2 record with a 0-1 NJAC mark.

The College of New Jersey was led by guards Kyle Rawson (sr. Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills) and Matthew Rista (so. Point Pleasant, NJ/St. Anthony’s) with 12 points apiece.  Forward Kyle Cancillieri (fr. Lincroft, NJ/Middletown S.) posted 11 points and five rebounds.  Forward Skyelar Ettin (so. Princeton, NJ/Princeton) tallied nine points, while forwards Dan Bucher (sr. New Providence, NJ/New Providence) and Alex Fox (so. Washington, NJ/Westwood Reg.) each had eight.

For Rowan, guard Kendall White (jr. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) tied his career-high with 24 points.  He also grabbed six rebounds.  Center Dee Benson (so. Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) contributed with 15 points and a season best 17 boards.  Guard Rich McNamara (so. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) chipped in with 11 points.  Forward Jason Sofman (so. West Milford, NJ/West Milford) compiled nine points and nine rebounds.  Guard Jason Rosenberg (so. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) dished five assists.

The Lions were ahead, 36-33 at halftime.  McNamara’s jumper at 19:39 pulled the Profs within one (36-35).  TCNJ had a 9-3 surge to lead by seven (45-38) at 17:14.  Cancillieri, Rista and Ettin all registered three points.  Cancillieri’s jump shot at 8:26 extended the advantage to 10 (61-51).  Rowan went on a 9-1 run to cut the deficit to two (62-60) with 4:32 remaining.  Sofman made two layups, Rosenberg nailed a three-pointer and White sunk two free throws. 

Guard Emmanuel Matlock (fr. Trenton, NJ/Solebury) connected on one of two foul shots at 2:59 to make the score, 65-61.  White made two free throws at 2:38 and 2:00 to tie the game (65-65).  The Lions reeled off seven straight points to lead,72-65 with 31 seconds left.  Rista collected six of the seven points.  White’s three-pointer with 24 seconds on the clock brought Rowan within four (72-68).  Benson followed a layup at :12, but Matlock’s two foul shots with nine seconds remaining sealed the victory.  White recorded 17 points in the second period.  Rista had nine points for TCNJ.

The Lions trailed, 6-5 after a jumper by forward Jason Chalmers (so. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) at 18:10 in the first half.  Rowan had baskets by McNamara (16:49), Rosenberg (16:13) and Benson (15:49) to go up, 12-5.  Fox nailed three-pointers at 15:26 and 14:57 and Ettin made a layup to give the Lions a one point advantage (13-12).  Benson’s free throw at 12:10 tied the game (17-17).  The score was knotted at 19 following a jump shot by McNamara at 11:11.  Rawson compiled six straight points to make the score, 25-19 at 18:12. 

The Profs had a 10-0 run to pull ahead, 29-25 with 5:14 left.  Benson had five of the 10 points.  Rowan had a three point lead (30-27) after a foul shot by McNamara at 3:29.  TCNJ scored the next seven points to go up, 34-30 at 1:06.  Chalmers hit a free throw and guard Donovan Smalls (jr. Union, NJ/Union) and Rista both made a three-pointer.  Benson converted a foul shot (:42) but Smalls answered with a jumper (:29).  White’s layup with one second on the clock brought Rowan within three (36-33) at the intermission.  Benson registered 11 points and 11 rebounds in the period.

Rowan travels to the NJAC opponent New Jersey City University on Saturday, December 3 at 4 p.m.