GLASSBORO, NJ – Arian Azemi scored 15 points and Andrew Seager and Hafeez Melvin had 14 apiece to lead a balanced effort as Rowan rolled to a 96-72 win over William Paterson in an NJAC men's basketball contest at Esby Gym. The Profs improve to 16-4 on the year, and 9-4 in the NJAC.
 
Seager made 5-of-8 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds with Azemi adding six boards.
Melvin scored all of his 14 in the first half as the jumped out to the lead. Marcellus Ross tallied 12 points and D'Andre Vilmar added 11 for the Profs.
 
Rowan began to break open the game late in the first half. Leading 37-32, the Profs closed out the period with a 16-5 spurt, paced by six points from Seager, to take a 53-37 advantage at halftime. Rowan shot 50 percent from the field, going 18-for-36, and was able to offset 8-for-19 three-point shooting by William Paterson.
 
The second half was more of the same as the Profs built up a 20-plus point advantage, 61-40, in the opening minutes and maintained that throughout the half. The Profs took their biggest lead to that point 90-66, with over three minutes to play, and led by as much as 96-69 in the final minutes.
 
Rowan had an early 13-2 advantage in the game but William Paterson went on an 18-9 run over six minutes to tie the game at 20-20. The Profs answered with seven straight points, with four free throws from Melvin and a three-pointer by Damian Smith, to take a 27-20 lead with 8:56 to play.
 
The Profs, who led for all but 25 seconds in the game, shot 41.8 percent from the field and hit 75 percent (22-of-29) to earn the win.
 
Rowan will be at home again on Wednesday, February 1 when it hosts Rutgers-Camden in a 5:30 p.m. start.