Wayne, NJ: The Ramapo College men's basketball team fell to the Pioneers of William Paterson University today, 82-81 in overtime in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up. The Roadrunners fall to 16-8 overall, 10-7 in the NJAC while the Pioneers improve to 15-9 overall, 10-7 in the NJAC.
Rob Lewis led the Roadrunners with 28 points and 17 rebounds playing all 45 minutes,
Rob McWilliams netted 17 points and collected seven rebounds, and
Kashaun Barnes had 12 points. Ramapo shot 28-65 (43.1%) from the field and 21-29 (72.4%) from the line. William Paterson hit 33-64 (51.6%) from the field and 7-12 (58.3%) from the line. The Pioneers were led by Domenic Mignone with 27 points and three steals, Sean Smith netted 12 points, and Nasir Fields had 10 points and eight rebounds.
The teams played offensively even in the first 7:30 of play before Lewis capitalized on an and-one play tying the game at 14. The three points from Lewis sparked an 8-0 run for the Roadrunners capped off with a free throw from
Andre Morgan, 19-14. With 6:30 left on the clock the Pioneers went on a 13-1 run sparked by a three-point shot from Hershell Williams and capped off by a layup from Mignone, 36-29. Ramapo answered back with a 9-0 run of their own capped off by a pair of free throws from Lewis giving the Roadrunners back the lead, 38-36. A layup from Anthony Uribe with 17 seconds left in the half would send the two teams into the locker room tied at 38.
The two teams traded baskets throughout the second half before Lewis took back the lead for Ramapo off a free throw, 57-56, with 7:40 on the clock. Lewis netted seven points in just under the next three minutes of play with the Pioneers only tacking on two, 64-58. Williams and
Jason Battle traded layups before Mignone sank a three-point shot to bring William Paterson within three with 3:43 left to play, 63-66.
Jordan Zagadou then tacked on two more points from the foul line, before Uribe would answer back with a jump shot, 65-68. Myles McLeod made a layup to bring the Pioneers within one before being sent to the line with 0:26 left in the game to make the first of a two-shot foul, tying the game at 68. A last second shot by the Pioneers would not get off in time and the two teams would head into overtime.
In the first two and a half minutes of overtime the teams traded baskets before Lewis capitalized on an and-one play putting the Roadrunners up, 77-74. With 0:37 left on the clock Uribe tacked on two more points for the Pioneers giving them a one point advantage. McWilliams answered back with a layup, 81-80, and the Roadrunners called a time-out. With three-seconds on the clock Smith made a jump shot giving the Pioneers the one point victory over Ramapo, 82-81.
The Roadrunners will return to action Wednesday, February 13 at the Bradley Center for Senior Night at 7:30pm with a NJAC match-up against New Jersey City University.
