MONTCLAIR, NJ - Montclair State hit two free throws with seven seconds to play to edge Rowan, 74-73, in an NJAC men's basketball contest that went down to the wire at the Panzer Athletic Center.
Andrew Seager led the Profs with 17 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.
After the home team tied the game, 71-71, with 1:26 to play, Seager gave Rowan a 73-71 lead with a layup at :44. Montclair State's Steven Breeman made one of two free throws on the Red Hawks' next possession, and after Rowan missed the front end of a one-and-one, the Red Hawks' Irving Callender was fouled on the rebound and would convert the winning free throws.
Connor Dickerson added 15 points and
Marcellus Ross scored 14 points, with
Damian Smith tallying 10 points for Rowan (11-3; 5-3 NJAC), which has lost its last two games.
Although the teams exchanged leads eight times throughout, Rowan still held the advantage for more than 30 minutes in the game.
MSU (7-5; 3-4 NJAC) outscored the Profs, 14-9, in the first few minutes of the second half, but Rowan scored nine in a row, led by five free throws by
Marcellus Ross, to take a 55-48 lead. Montclair State came within 55-53 with over nine minutes to play before a three-pointer from Dickerson and a layup by Smith built Rowan's lead back up to 64-58.
Dickerson's layup at 5:29 stretched the Rowan lead to 69-61 but a pair of MSU three-pointers got the Red Hawks right back in it, 69-67. Dickerson hit two from the foul line before MSU's Devin Cooper scored four straight to tie the game, 71-71, with 1:26 remaining.
Montclair State owned a 28-27 lead in the first half before Rowan went on a 12-0 run, with five from NJAC Rookie of the Week
Josh Wright, to take a 39-28 lead. The Red Hawks answered with six straight points before Dickerson hit a three-pointer at :07 to give Rowan a 42-34 lead. Seager paced the Profs with 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting in the period.
The Profs next head to Ramapo on Saturday and return to Esby Gym on Wednesday, January 19 to host TCNJ.
