Box Score
WAYNE, NJ – The Rowan University men’s basketball team defeated William Paterson University, 74-64 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Saturday afternoon.
The Profs are 14-5 overall, while the Pioneers have a 13-7 record. Both teams are 8-5 in the conference.
Guard Phil Jackson (jr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) led Rowan with a season-high 18 points. Guard Matt Whitworth (jr. Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City) and center Dee Benson (sr. Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) both scored 13 points. Benson also pulled down 12 rebounds. Guard Kendall White (sr. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) collected eight points. Guard Rich McNamara (jr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) compiled five points and eight boards. Guard Jason Rosenberg (jr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) totaled seven points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals.
For William Paterson, forward Terik Bridgeman (fr. Harlem, NY/Nia Prep) registered a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Guard Rick DeStefano (sr. Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) contributed with 14 points. Forward Lance Brown (sr. Teaneck, NJ/Paterson Catholic) added 10 points and seven boards. Guard Jaques Conceicao (so. Massama-Lisboa, Portugal/Francais Charle Lepierre) posted eight points and eight rebounds off the bench.
The Pioneers started the game with a 13-0 run over the first 5:02. Bridgeman recorded four points, while guard Julio Rosario (sr. Perth Amboy, NJ/Cardinal McCarrick), DeStefano and Brown all hit a three-pointer. Bridgeman’s jumper at 11:39 made the score, 21-8. The Profs had a 10-2 surge to pull within five (23-18) at 8:06. Jackson tallied nine of the 10 points. Guard Bright Mensah’s (fr. Hackensack, NJ/Hackensack) layup with 6:27 on the clock extended the advantage to seven (27-20).
Rowan scored the next 10 points to go ahead, 30-27 with 2:23 remaining. Jackson and Rosenberg each made a three, while center Dan Brogan (fr. Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) and Whitworth added one basket apiece. Brown had a tip-in (1:41) and Mensah sank two free throws (1:19) to put William Paterson back on top, 31-30. Whitworth nailed a three-pointer with one second left to give the Profs a 33-31 halftime lead. Jackson had 12 points in the first period.
The Profs began the second stanza with a 9-2 spurt to make the score, 42-33 at 13:23. Guard Fred Battee (sr. West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) collected seven points and Benson had two. Jackson’s three-pointer at 9:41 extended the advantage to 13 (51-38). Rowan’s largest lead of the game was 16 points (61-45) following a layup by Rosenberg at 5:19.
Conceicao’s two foul shots at 1:38 cut the deficit to eight (65-57). The Profs had the next four points to go back up by 13 (70-57) with 1:18 on the clock. DeStefano sunk two free throws (1:08) and Conceicao converted a three point play (:59) to bring William Paterson within eight (70-62). Pioneers’ guard Manny Hernandez (so. Paterson, NJ/Paramus Catholic) made a jumper at the 48 second mark and the score was 72-64. White had two foul shots at :48 and :33 to end the game.
Rowan hosts Valley Forge Christian College in a nonconference game on Monday, January 28 at 7 p.m.
