Wayne, NJ: Behind a career high 23 points and 16 rebounds from
Jordan Myers the Ramapo College men's basketball team defeated William Paterson University tonight, 69-66. The Roadrunners improve to 7-8 overall and 3-5 in the NJAC while the Pioneers now stand at 8-7 overall and 2-6 in the conference.
With the game tied at four in the first half, Ramapo went on a 14-2 run to take an 18-6 lead with 13 minutes on the clock. WPU countered with a 16-2 run of their own, which gave them a 22-20 lead with just under six minutes to play in the first half.
Justin Bladen sank a pair of free throws while Myers added a jumper for a 24-22 lead before the two teams traded baskets as Ramapo led 26-24 with under 3:30 left in the first half. The lead changed three more times in the final three minutes of action before Ramapo took a 33-29 lead into the locker room on back-to-back shots from
Peter Gorman. Gorman sank a jumper with 56 seconds on the clock and a three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining.
In the second half, Ramapo held a four point lead before WPU went on a mini 5-0 run to retake the lead 40-39.
Shane Rooney scored on a layup before Gorman hit one of two free throws, 42-40 with 12:37 on the clock. WPU then sank a three pointer for a one point lead before Ramapo regained it once again on a layup from Gorman which sparked a 15-0 run capped off with a made basket from Myers, 59-45, with less than 6:25 left to play. Gorman sank a jumper with 3:55 on the clock as Ramapo led, 63-51, before WPU came back to shrink the lead to just two with a 12-0 run of their own which included three three-pointers, 63-65. Myers made it a four point game with a layup with less than a minute on the clock while Tyreek Montgomery sank another three-pointer for WPU to cut the Roadrunner lead to just one with 51 seconds remaining.
Elijah Barlow hit a key jumper for the Roadrunners with 26 seconds on the clock for the 69-66 score.
Myers led the way as he finished 11-17 from the floor while he added two assists and one blocked shot. Gorman collected 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists while Rooney posted 13 points, ten rebounds and two assists. Bladen and Barlow each collected seven points in the game while Barlow added seven rebounds. Ramapo shot 43% (28-64) from the floor in the game, 25% (3-12) from the three-point line and 66% (10-15) from the free throw line.
The Pioneers were led by Shawn Summers Jr., who recorded 21 points and five rebounds while Montgomery added ten points and a team high seven rebounds. Neftali Valentin and Lopez tacked on nine points each. WPU shot 41% (27-65) from the floor in the game, 27% (6-22) from the three-point line and 60% (6-10) from the free throw line.
The Roadrunners will host the College of New Jersey in a NJAC conference game on Saturday, January 14th at 1pm at the Bradley Center.
