Box Score GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University men's basketball team lost to Rutgers-Newark, 64-53 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Saturday afternoon.
The Profs have a 15-9 record with a 9-8 conference mark. The Scarlet Raiders improve to 16-8 overall and they are 10-7 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Newark clinched a spot in the NJAC Championship Tournament with the victory. Rowan secured a berth in the conference tournament due to Ramapo College's loss at Rutgers-Camden. The tournament begins on Saturday, February 21.
Forward Jordan McDaniel (jr. Colonia, NJ/Colonia) led the Scarlet Raiders with 16 points and eight rebounds. Guard Chris Foreman (sr. Union, NJ/Union) recorded 14 points and forward David Azoroh (jr. Ewing, NJ/Ewing) followed with 13. Guard/forward Christian Garcia (sr. Freehold, NJ/Freehold) contributed with eight points and nine boards. Forward/center Elvis Hodzic (sr. Budd Lake, NJ/Mt. Olive) grabbed eight rebounds.
Rowan forward
Mike Simpson (sr. Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) totaled a game-high 17 points. Forward
Daniel Waynick (sr. East Windsor, NJ/Hightstown) produced 10 points and guard
Kris O'Connor (jr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Paul VI) had eight.
The score was tied at seven (16:12) before Rutgers-Newark began an 11-0 run to take an 18-7 lead (10:55). Four different players scored in the surge. Azoroh's layup (8:37) increased the advantage to 11 (23-12). A three-pointer by guard Doze Ikwuegbu (sr. Union, NJ/Union) made the score 29-19 with 5:12 remaining. Forward
Ike Robinson (jr. Trenton, NJ/Conwell-Egan Catholic (PA)) sank a three (4:45) and Waynick hit back-to-back jumpers (2:56, 1:44) to close the gap to three (29-26) before Foreman ended the half with a triple (1:21) and the Scarlet Raiders were ahead 32-26 at the intermission.
Simpson opened the second half with a foul shot (18:24) before Rutgers-Newark went on a 9-0 run to lead by 14 (41-27) with 15:09 on the clock. Azoroh tallied four points, Foreman drained a three and McDaniel had a layup. Rowan responded with six of the next seven points to cut the deficit to nine (42-33) with 13:44 left. Simpson recorded four points and O'Connor converted two free throws. The Scarlet Raiders had an 18-6 spurt in 7:57 for their largest lead at 21 (60-39) with 5:47 to go. Five different players contributed to the run, led by guard Darrian Collins (so. South River, NJ/St. Patrick's) with six points. The Profs poured in the next 10 points to get within 11 (60-49) at the 1:30 mark. McDaniel's dunk ended the scoring with 11 seconds remaining.
Rowan concludes the regular season with an 8 p.m. contest at William Paterson University on Wednesday, February 18.
