GLASSBORO, NJ – Trailing most of the game, Rowan forced overtime with Montclair State, but couldn't come away with the win, as the Red Hawks scored a 104-100 decision to ruin the Profs' "Senior Night" in the final regular-season game at Esby Gym. Rowan closes out the regular season with a 20-5 record and heads into next week's NJAC Championship as the top seed.
 
Rowan, which went 16-2 in the conference, clinched its first NJAC regular-season title since 1998-99 and earned a bye for the 2023 NJAC Tournament. The Profs will host a semifinal game on Tuesday, February 21 at 7 p.m. against the winner of the quarterfinal between #4 Kean and #5 TCNJ. On the other side of the NJAC bracket, #3-seed Montclair State will host #6 NJCU, with the winners traveling to #2 Stockton for the semifinals. BRACKET
 
Montclair State's Steven Breeman opened the overtime with a three-pointer to give MSU the lead it would keep the entire extra period. Rowan's Damian Smith hit a three-pointer to knot the score at 97-97 with 2:28 left, but Montclair State (21-4; 15-3 NJAC) went up 99-97 on two free throws. Ja'Zere Noel hit one of two foul shots at 1:11 to get Rowan within, 99-98, but Kieran Flanagan would connect on 4-of-4 from the line in the final minute to seal the win for MSU.
 
After trailing for all but one minute at the start of the game, Rowan took its first lead, 92-90, with 5.5 seconds remaining in regulation when Andrew Seager hit two free throws. After timeouts by both teams, Montclair State's Kevon Pryce drove the length of the court for a layup to send the game into overtime.
 
Montclair State, which went 15-for-22 from three-point range, led by as much as nine points in the second half. Every time the Profs closed to within two or three, the visitors seemed to have an answer.
 
Trailing 63-55, Rowan pulled within 66-63 after five straight points from Josh Wright before Montclair State's Amari Mills hit a three to put the Red Hawks back up 69-63. Later,
Rowan cut the deficit to 79-77 at 5:10 on a pair of free throws by Damian Smith and the Red Hawks went on a 6-2 run to build the lead back to 85-79. Four straight points from Ross and Noel had the Profs within 88-86 at 2:28, but Breeman knocked down two free throws to give MSU a 90-86 cushion.
 
Montclair State led for most of the first half as the Red Hawks jumped out to a 22-15 lead midway through the half. They expanded it to their biggest margin of the game, 29-18, after Breeman hit one of MSU's seven three-pointers in the half before the Profs closed it to 29-28 with 10 straight points, including six from Ross. Montclair State outscored the Profs, 12-5, in the final four minutes of the half to take a 43-34 halftime lead.
 
Ross scored 18 points for Rowan, followed by Seager with 17 and Noel with 16. Smith, Wright and Connor Dickerson all contributed 11 points. Although the Profs made only five three-pointers in the hard-fought game, they went 29-for-40 from the foul line.

Prior to the game, Rowan honored its seniors - Connor Dickerson, Stretch Hawkins, Hafeez Melvin, Andrew Seager and D'Andre Vilmar, along with manager Jared Huntley.