Glassboro, NJ:  The Rowan University men's basketball team held off a second half push by the Ramapo College Roadrunners as the Profs earned an 89-86 NJAC conference victory. The Profs now sand at 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the NJAC while the Roadrunners are now 7-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference.

Rowan never trailed in the game while the Roadrunners game within one of tying the game multiple times down the stretch. The score was tied twice and the Profs led by as many as 11 points in the first half before the Roadrunners came back with under eight minutes to play in the first. The Profs took an 11-point lead with 8:37 left in the first half before the Roadrunner shrunk the lead down to three in over four minutes of action. Down nine with five minutes left in the half the Roadrunners went on a mini 6-0 run to cut the lead to three 39-36. The Profs would stretch their lead back to six with 1:43 on the clock with a three-pointer from Ryan Legler before Rob Lewis sank a pair of free throws with the final points of the half. The Profs went into the locker room at halftime up four 45-41.
 
The Roadrunners tied the game for the first time at the start of the second half. A 6-2 run that included four points from Kashaun Barnes with 17:33 left in the half. Each team recorded a layup as the score was tied 49-49 before the Profs once again stretched their lead back to ten on a dunk from Jonathan Hevalow 63-53 with 13:00 on the clock. Ramapo went on an 8-4 run to cut the lead to 67-65 capped off with a basket from Barnes with just over nine minutes to play in the half. Rowan once again extended their lead back to ten 80-70 this time on a three-pointer from Nick DePersia with 5:24 on the clock before Ramapo went on a 9-0 run to close the gap to one. Lewis started the run with an and-one play while Barnes hit a three-pointer and jumper back-to-back. The run was capped off as Andre Morgan hit the second of a two shot free throw as the Profs still led by one 80-79 with 3:18 left to play. DePersia sank another three-pointer for Rowan and a pair of free throws from Ramon Wright pushing Rowan to a six-point lead 85-79 with just over two minutes to play. Lewis once again converted on an and-one play before Rob McWilliams sank a basket to come within one 85-84 with less than a minute to play. A dunk by Wright and a layup from Lewis put the Profs up by one 87-86 with 21 seconds left on the clock. Connor Dickerson scored the final two points of the game for the Profs, a pair of free throws as they held on for the 89-86 victory.
 
Rowan sank 12 three-pointers in the game including five from Nick DePersia who led the Profs with 22 points. DaRon Curry posted 19 points while Wright added a double-double 16 points and ten rebounds. The team shot 47% (31-66) from the field, 38% (12-31) from the three-point line and 57% (15-26) from the free throw line. The Profs defense forced 15 Roadrunner turnovers that led to 13 points.
 
The Roadrunners were led by Lewis with his fourth double-double of the season with 28 points and 12 rebounds while he also tallied one block. Barnes collected 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. McWilliams posted eight points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Roadrunners shot 43% (28-64) from the field, 25% (2-8) from the three-point line and 77% (28-36) from the free throw line.
 
Ramapo returns to action this Wednesday, December 12th when they host Rutgers-Camden at 7:30pm in NJAC action.