Galloway, NJ: The Ramapo College men's basketball team defeated the Ospreys of Stockton University today 79-70 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up. The Roadrunners advance to 13-5 overall and 7-4 in the NJAC, while the Ospreys fall to 7-11 overall and 5-6 in the conference.
Ramapo hit 29-59 (49.2%) from the field and 19-24 (79.2%) from the line with five Roadrunners scoring in double figures.
Rob Lewis led Ramapo with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and one block while
Matt Latka netted 17 points and six rebounds.
Rob McWilliams had 15 points and collected six rebounds,
Jason Battle collected 11 points and three steals, and
Andre Morgan had 11 points. The Ospreys shot 28-66 (42.4%) from the field and 7-8 (87.5%) from the line. Tariq Baker led the team with 18 points, Brandon Hamilton netted 14 points and collected seven rebounds, and Steve Ferebee had 14 points, collected five rebounds, and one block.
The Ospreys started the first half strong on a 15-5 run capped off by a layup from Baker with 13:31 on the clock. Ramapo's Morgan capitalized on an and-one play to close the gap to seven, 12-19. Keenan Williams Jr. extended Stockton's lead to nine when he made a layup with just over ten minutes left on the clock, 21-12. McWilliams would go to the line to make two free-throws followed by a layup from Morgan to bring the Roadrunners within five, 16-21. The Roadrunners would continue to trail by five over the next four minutes of play. With 4:00 remaining in the half Battle would make a layup to close the gap to three, 27-30. Baker and Kyion Flanders would each net two points to put the Ospreys on top, 34-27. The Roadrunners would come within three again when Morgan made a layup with 2:19 left in the half, 31-34. Osprey Jordan Taylor answered back sinking a three-point shot, 37-31. Battle would go on to make one of two free-throws with 0:37 left on the clock, 32-37. With six seconds remaining in the half, Taylor would drain another three-point shot to send the Roadrunners into the locker room down by eight, 32-40.
Ramapo began the second half on a 13-2 run behind nine points from Lewis and four points from Latka, 45-42. Baker answered back bringing the Ospreys within one, 44-45. With 13:55 remaining in the game, McWilliams would sink a three-point shot extending the Roadrunner lead to six, 54-48. Hamilton and Ferebee would make back-to-back shots to close the gap to two, 52-54. The two teams would continue to trade baskets with the Ospreys trailing by two until the Roadrunners would go on a mini 6-0 run to extend the lead to eight, 64-56. Hamilton would end the run for the Roadrunners on a layup to bring the Ospreys within six with 6:21 left on the clock, 58-64, the Roadrunners would call a time out. McWilliams came out of the time out to spark a 9-3 run for the Ramapo capped off by Latka capitalizing on an and-one play, 73-61. Baker would cut the Roadrunner lead to nine after sinking a three-point shot with 3:21 remaining in the game, 64-73. The two teams would trade baskets over the next few minutes of play. The Roadrunners would go on to defeat the Ospreys, 79-70.
The Roadrunners return to action Wednesday, January 23rd when they take on Montclair State University at home at 7:30pm.
