JERSEY CITY, NJ - Rowan's Khalif Meares scored a career-high 35 points but it wasn't enough as the Profs fell to New Jersey City, 80-75, in NJAC men's basketball action. Rowan evened its record at 3-3 while suffering its first conference loss of the season (2-1).

Meares made 16-of-21 field goals, grabbed six rebounds and had four assists and three steals, while Brycen Williams was the only other Prof in double figures with 11 points.

NJCU (6-2; 3-0) led the entire second half, and by as much as nine points, owning a 73-64 lead with 1:41 to play. Rowan cut its deficit to 78-75 on a three-pointer by Williams with :07 left, but ran out of time as Jaheim Lewis made a pair of free throws at :04 to seal the win for the home team.

The teams traded leads and ties in the first half, with Rowan's biggest lead being a three-point margin, 26-23, at 7:47. NJCU outscored the Profs, 21-11, over the remainder of the half to take a 44-37 halftime lead.

Rowan opened the second half with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 46-46 on a layup by Meares. NJCU went up by five before Danny Fleming's three-point tied the score at 55-55 with 12 minutes to play. That was the last tie of the game and NJCU would put together a 14-5 run to gain the 73-64 advantage.

The Profs will be on the road again on Wednesday at Kean before returning home to face William Paterson on December 14.