GLASSBORO, NJ - Senior Brian Thatcher scored a career-high 20 points on near-perfect shooting to propel Rowan to an 84-73 win over TCNJ in NJAC men's basketball action at Esby Gym. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Profs (9-10; 5-7 NJAC) and ended TCNJ's four-game winning streak.
 
Thatcher made his first seven shots, including six three-pointers, to finish the game 7-for-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from three-point range. His first miss of the game came with under five minutes remaining.
 
Maliq Sanders scored 18 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting while Diante Bah had a double-double with 16 points and career-highs of 16 rebounds and six blocked shots for the Profs. Ryan O'Leary scored 10 points, as he made 4-of-6 from the field, and Jerry Price handed out a career-high eight assists.
 
The Profs broke a 15-15 tie early on and outscored TCNJ, 27-14, in the final 12 minutes of the half to own a 40-31 advantage at halftime. Thatcher surpassed his career-high of 12 points in the first half alone, by scoring 14 points in the period.  
 
TCNJ (11-8; 8-4 NJAC) scored the first six points of the second half to cut the Rowan lead to 40-37, but the Profs went on a 12-4 spurt to build it back up to double digits, 52-41.
 
Rowan held its biggest advantage, 68-50 wit 6:17 to play, but the Lions fought back and pulled within eight, 76-68, with 2:24 to play. A layup by Bah and fastbreak dunk from O'Leary put the game out of reach, 80-68, with 1:55 remaining.
 
Rowan made 13-of-25 three-pointers in the game, matching its season-best of 52.0 percent shooting. Defensively, the Profs held TCNJ to 7-of-29 (24.1%) from behind the arc.
 
"I knew every time I got the ball quick, I thought to just keep hitting them. It was another dagger because they never quit, they're a really well-coached team. I knew we had to just keep hitting them because all I wanted to do was win. It doesn't matter what I do, I just want us to win the game," said Thatcher, who entered the contest averaging 3.2 points per game.
 
"We're a radically different team since the last time we played them with personnel because of sicknesses and injuries. Brian Thatcher's got 20 points tonight and I don't know if he's played 20 minutes all year. And everyone is really happy for him," said head coach Joe Crispin. "We've had to make certain adjustments due to injuries and we're playing differently and I hope that's an advantage going down the stretch."
 
TCNJ was led by Randall Walko with 29 points and nine rebounds, while Travis Jocelyn chipped in 12.
 
Rowan remains home to host Ramapo at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 1.