Box Score Mahwah, NJ:  In the opening round of the 2011-2012 New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament, the #2 seeded Roadrunners of Ramapo College and the North Division defeated the #3 seeded Profs of Rowan University from the South, 76-74 to advance to the semi-final round of the championship tournament.  With the victory Ramapo improves to 18-8 on the year.  Rowan finishes the year at 12-14.

After the game's fifth tie, 68-68 with just over two minutes to go, the two teams traded baskets until the Roadrunners finished on top with a jump shot from Will Sanborn to go up one, 75-74, and the front end of a two shot foul from Jermaine Emanuel to take a 76-74 edge with one click to go.  Ramapo held on for the final second to earn the win and the ticket to the semi-final game.  Sanborn led Ramapo with 23 points hitting 9-20 from the floor while Garret Thiel added 19 and Stephon Treadwell finished the night with 14 points and 15 boards for the double-double.  The team shot a combined 28-65 (43%).

The Profs led 40-34 heading into the intermission after shooting 15-39 (39%) ahead of the Roadrunners 11-30 (37%).  Phil Jackson sunk a three-point goal to open the game just over 40 seconds in before Sanborn responded with a jump shot and a basket from behind the arc to go up, 5-3.  Treadwell gave Ramapo a four point edge with a two-point goal of his own but Kendall White sank a three to come within one with 17:39 on the clock.  The two teams traded baskets and the game was tied four times over the next 11 plus minutes before Jason Sofman hit two free throws sparking a mini 5-0 run for the Profs to go up, 33-28 with just over four to play in the half.  Rowan would extend their lead to eight with 1:40 to go after a basket from Rich McNamara off a turnover put the Profs up, 40-32.  Treadwell would close out the half with a final Ramapo basket to head into the locker room trailing by six.   Matt Whitworth led Rowan with nine points and Treadwell led the Roadrunners with seven points of his own in the first 20 minutes of play.

In the opening nine plus minutes of the second half the Roadrunners came within one on two occasions.  Sanborn hit a three-point goal at 16:01 (46-47) and a jumper at 10:39 (53-54) but the Profs responded with 11 points to Ramapo's four over the next four and a half minutes to go up 65-57 with 6:49 to play in the game.  Whitworth sunk two three-point goals and Dee Benson and White chipped in points to give the Profs the eight point advantage.  With 4:52 on the clock, Treadwell sparked a 9-0 run for Ramapo, capped off by a basket from Emanuel to take their first lead since midway through the first half, 68-67.  On the run, Thiel and Boards chipped in points for Ramapo. With Sanborn's 13 points in the half and Thiel's 11, it was Ramapo who finished on top.   The team went 17-35 (48%).  McNamara and White each chipped in eight points in the second half of play. Rowan shot a combined 12-30 (40%).

Ramapo will travel to Pomona to face off with the Ospreys of Richard Stockton, seeded #1 of the South Division, Wednesday, February 22nd at 7:00 PM.