GLASSBORO – Jerry Price scored 25 points and Austin Kearney added 19 as the Rowan men's basketball team pulled out a 94-86 win over Montclair State in NJAC action at Esby Gym. Maliq Sanders and Matt Green each added 18 points for the Profs (11-11; 7-8 NJAC).
 
With 2:41 to play, the contest was tied for the 11th time, 79-79, but Rowan got quick steals by Price and Green that turned into points and an 84-79 lead. After Montclair State (9-13; 7-8) pulled within 84-81 on a pair of free throws, Price and Kearney combined for the Profs' next eight points on an 8-3 run that gave them a 92-84 lead with :35 to play.
 
Sanders hit two more free throws to close out the game, as Rowan went 7-for-7 from the line in the final two minutes to build up a 94-84 lead with :21 to play to seal the win. The Profs made 21-of-24 free throws in the second half, to finish 26-for-34 for the game.
 
Price had four steals and was 6-for-6 from the foul line for the Profs, and tied his career-high in both points and steals. Kearney scored 14 points in the second half and finished the game with 10 rebounds and an 8-for-10 shooting effort. Sanders converted 10-for-11 free throws and Green shot 6-for-9 from the field, making all three of his three-point attempts.
 
In the first half, the teams traded leads early on and with Rowan holding a 31-28 edge, Montclair State used an 11-0 run to take a 39-31 advantage with 2:54 left in the half.  Price ended the scoreless skid for the Profs, tallying five straight points to pull them within 48-44.  A pair of Montclair State three-pointers pushed the lead to 45-36 before Rowan closed out the half with four straight points, including a three-pointer by Green at :02, to cut the Red Hawks' lead to 45-40 at halftime.
 
Trailing 50-46 early in the second half, Rowan went on an 18-6 run that spanned seven minutes, led by 10 points from Kearney, to go back on top, 64-56. Montclair State answered with a 14-5 spurt, regaining the lead, 70-69, with 6:10 remaining.
 
Rowan held a 77-73 advantage at 4:12 before the Red Hawks took their final lead of the game, 79-77 with 2:55 to play, before the home team went ahead for good after Price's steal and basket at 2:38.
 
Montclair State placed five players in double figures led by Tim Algenio with 18 points. Jalen Parham scored 17 and Nate Narhim tallied 16 as he hit 4-of-8 from three-point range. MSU converted 9-of-18 threes in the first half, but went just 3-for-12 in the second.
 
"It was a good environment. Our guys owned it. We battled, we kept attacking and we wanted to be the aggressor, and I felt, especially in the second half, we were. We played with an attack mindset. They pressed us and we took the shots in front of us. Fortunately, today we hit enough but you've got to take risks to be that kind of team and today we did," said head coach Joe Crispin.
 
"I think the guys are trusting each other and they're just fighting. They fought through a lot this year and I just feel good for them having a good week this week, and we want to keep it rolling."
 
Next up for the Profs are a pair of road games, at William Paterson on Wednesday, February 8 and at Rutgers-Newark on February 15. Rowan will host Kean in the final game of the regular season on February 19.