Mahwah, NJ:  The Ramapo College men's basketball team defeated NJAC rival William Paterson University 90-82 tonight at the Bradley Center. The Roadrunners move to 11-6 overall, 7-3 in the NJAC while the Pioneers drop to 9-8 overall, 4-6 in the conference.

WPU's Bright Mensah led both teams with a game high 33 points but the Roadrunners outlasted the Pioneers in the closing minutes of the game to pull out the home victory. Mensah finished the game 8-15 from the field, 13-19 from the free throw line and 4-7 from beyond the three-point line.  Ramapo was led by Frank Nock who tallied 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Nick Stanek came off the bench for the Roadrunners and recorded a double-double. Stanek posted 12 points, including 6-6 from the free throw line and a team high 11 rebounds. Christopher Moseley added 11 points while Thomas Bonacum chipped in ten points of his own in only 11 minutes of play. Ramapo shot 53% (32-60) from the field and 75% (22-29) from the free throw line.

The Pioneers shot 37% (25-67) from the field, 30% (11-36) from beyond the three-point line and 67% (21-31) from the free throw line. Terik Bridgeman posted a double-double for WPU with 15 points and ten rebounds while Manny Hernandez added ten points of his own in the game.

In the first half, Ramapo jumped out to a six-point lead 13-7 with a mini 6-1 run capped off by a steal and layup from Josh Ford. Ford finished the game with nine points.  The two teams traded baskets before WPU tied the game for a third time, 24-24 with a three-pointer from Mensah before Saint-Simeon Beaubrun took a pass from James Long to score two points for Ramapo to get the lead back, 26-24 with 9:14 left to play in the first. WPU would take the lead on a pair of free throws from Mensah before he hit a three-pointer to put WPU up 29-26. Ramapo tied the game on a jumper from Nock 32-32 with 5:20 on the clock before Salomon Pierre put Ramapo up two 34-32 with a made basket. Following a dunk from WPU's Bridgeman to tie the game for the sixth time 34-34, Ramapo would go on an 11-2 run. Nock started the run with a three-pointer before Pierre hit a jumper off his own rebound for a 45-36 lead. The Roadrunners tallied the final two baskets of the half back-to-back from Jermaine Peart and Nock to go into the locker room up 51-40.

The Pioneers started the second half on a 14-4 run, shrinking the Ramapo lead to one before the Roadrunners extended their lead to seven 63-56 with 12 minutes on the clock. WPU then went on a 7-0 run to tie the game for the seventh time on a jumper from Mensah 63-63 with less than ten minutes to play. The two teams traded baskets down the stretch before WPU cut the lead to five with under five minutes on the clock on two made free throws from Richy Espinal. A jumper from David Haye extended the Ramapo lead to seven 81-74 before the Roadrunners led by nine with 2:28 left on the clock. WPU cut the lead to four with 1:21 on a three-pointer from Galen Smith but the Roadrunners made the most of their free throws to extend their lead back to eight. Bonacum went to the line four times and converted on all four free throws to seal the win for the Roadrunners 90-82.

Both teams tallied 20 points off turnovers in the game while the Roadrunners scored 44 points in the paint to the Pioneers 24. Ramapo forced 16 WPU turnovers.

The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday when they host NJAC rival Rowan University at 3pm.