Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College men's basketball team fell to the Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers Camden, 74-82, today in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up at the Bradley Center.  The Roadrunners suffer their second straight conference loss falling to 4-5 in the NJAC, 10-6 overall.  Rutgers Camden improves to 9-7 overall and gets their third win in conference play at 3-6.
 
John Tatem led the Scarlet Raptors to their third conference win today as he sank 9-13 from the field for 23 points.  Marcus Taylor wrapped up the win with 17 points and Teon Russell added 15, as the team hit a combined 28-58 (48%) from the field.  Julian Martin dished out five assists and Martin grabbed six steals. 
 
After a 4-4 tie to start the game with 17:24 on the clock, Martin sparked a 7-0 run, capped off with a three-pointer from Russell, to put the Scarlet Raptors up 11-4 with 15:37 to play.  Rutgers Camden worked to an eight-point advantage 40 seconds later, before the Roadrunners strung together seven points to come within one, 13-14, at 12:05 with a layup from Josh Ford.  A long shot from Frank Nock at 9:57 tied the game at 16, but Rutgers Camden responded with a 14-2 run to take a 30-18 lead with 5:47 to play, forcing a Ramapo timeout.  With an and-one play from Christopher Mosley at 5:33, the Roadrunners broke from a double-digit deficit to, 21-30, but Rutgers Camden out scored Ramapo, 11-2 over the next two minutes to take their biggest lead of the half of 18, 41-23, with two free throws from Tatem.  Ramapo was able to come within 14, heading into the locker room trailing Rutgers Camden, 29-43.  Tatem sank 17 points in the half as his team went 16-34 (47%).  Ramapo was led by Nick Stanek with nine points as the team hit 11-26 (42%).  The Roadrunners committed 15 turnovers in the half and were out rebounded, 21-13.
 
With a dunk from Ve'Shawn Polite at 17:42, the Roadrunners closed the gap to, 36-46, forcing a Rutgers Camden time out to start the second half of play.  Over the next four minutes, Ramapo continued to push to break through their double-digit deficit that came at 13:32 with an and-one play from Moseley closing the gap, 48-57.  Ramapo connected two more baskets, including a dunk from Polite, to close the gap, 52-57 with 12:48 on the clock.  The two teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, until a jumper from V. Simpson Turner at 9:21 sparked a 7-0 run to tie the game at 63-63.  The run was capped off with and-one play from Polite.  After trading baskets for the next four minutes, the Roadrunners grabbed their first lead (69-68) of the game with 2:42 left to play with a two-point goal from Stanek.  Rutgers Camden responded with three straight baskets to push ahead by five, 74-69, with 1:34 left in the game.  Down the stretch the Scarlet Raptors proved to be too much for Ramapo earning the 82-74 win in Mahwah. Taylor led the way with 11 points for Rutgers Camden as the team went 12-24 (50%) from the field.  Ramapo was led by Polite who netted 22 points hitting 8-11 from the field.  Ramapo shot 18-39 (46%) in the final half of play.
 
Polite finished the game with 26 points hitting 9-16 from the field and 8-12 from the free throw line.  Nock chipped in 17 and Stanek finished the day with 15.  Moseley added ten points on the day, while James Long dished out a team-high four assists.
 
The Roadrunners return to action on Wednesday, January 21st when they travel to William Paterson for a NJAC match-up at 8pm.