Box Score
EWING, NJ – The Rowan University men’s basketball team had a 74-70 win over The College of New Jersey in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Wednesday night.
The Profs improve to 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the conference. The Lions have a 2-7 record with a 1-5 NJAC mark. Forward Brendan Cox (sr. Lindenwold, NJ/Highland Reg.) led Rowan with 18 points and eight rebounds. Guard Kendall White (sr. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists off the bench. Guard Jason Rosenberg (jr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) posted 12 points and six assists. Guard Rich McNamara (jr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) registered nine points, nine boards and three steals. Guard Phil Jackson (jr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) and forward Matt Whitworth (jr. Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City) contributed with eight and seven points respectively.
For TCNJ, guard Matthew Rista (jr. Point Pleasant, NJ/St. Anthony’s) scored a game-high 20 points. Guard Jayson Johnson (so. Bordentown, NJ/Life Center Academy) followed with 11 points. Forward Alex Fox (jr. Washington, NJ/Westwood Reg.) tallied eight points and six boards, while forward Joe Kane (jr. Cinnaminson, NJ/Holy Cross) had six points and eight rebounds.
The Lions were ahead, 8-2 at 16:12 in the first period after a jumper by Johnson. The Profs answered with a layup by White (15:58) and a three-pointer by McNamara (15:29) to pull within one (8-7). TCNJ was up, 12-9 at 13:40 following Johnson’s jump shot. Rowan scored six straight points to take a 15-12 lead at 11:52. Center Dee Benson (sr. Somerdale, NJ/Sterling), Rosenberg and Cox each had a basket. The Lions had a 6-0 spurt for a three point advantage (18-15) at 9:46. Guard Zach Friedrich (sr. Berlin, NJ/East Stroudsburg S.) nailed a jumper at 6:41 and the score was 24-21. The Profs went on a 14-2 run over the next 6:04. Whitworth, McNamara and Cox all had four points and Rosenberg added a layup. Fox’s three with four seconds remaining cut the deficit to six (35-29) at the intermission. In the first half, Cox totaled 12 points and McNamara had nine.
Benson’s layup at 17:58 in the second stanza extended the advantage to nine (39-30). TCNJ had a 9-0 surge to tie the game at 39 with 14:48 on the clock. Rista collected six of the nine points. The score was tied three more times with the last one (50-50) coming at 9:35. Friedrich’s layup at 9:19 put the Lions on top, 52-51. Rowan scored the next seven points to pull ahead, 58-52 at 6:16. Whitworth nailed a three-pointer (9:00), while Cox (7:16) and Rosenberg (6:16) each had a layup.
TCNJ came within one (58-57) after a three (5:49) and two foul shots (5:17) by guard William Lester (sr. Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex). Kane’s layup at the four minute mark brought the Lions within two (62-60). Cox (3:41) and White (3:15) each had a basket. Rowan held a six point lead (68-62) following White’s layup at 1:54. Fox made a three-pointer (1:35) but White answered with two foul shots (1:13) to make the score, 70-65. Rista converted two free throws (:59) and Jackson had a jumper (:50). After Rista’s three-pointer with 32 seconds left, the Lions trailed by two (72-70). White sealed the victory by hitting two foul shots with two seconds remaining.
Rowan hosts NJAC opponent William Paterson University on Saturday, December 15 at 1 p.m.
