Union, NJ: The Kean University men's basketball team defeated Ramapo College tonight at Hardwood Arena, 65-58. The Cougars remain undefeated in the NJAC conference at 2-0 while they move to 4-2 overall. The Roadrunners now stand at 1-6 overall and 0-2 in the league.
The teams went into the locker room at halftime tied at 28 after a back and forth first half. The Roadrunners took a six-point lead with 13:10 on the clock as
Enoch Hutchinson sank a three-pointer, 12-6. The Cougars countered with a three-pointer from Daniel Dextraze before a 10-8 push from the Roadrunners over the next 5:36 gave them a 22-14 lead with 7:08 remaining. Kean would then go on a 14-6 run of their own to cap off the half which included a pair of free throws with less than a second remaining as Malachi Jeffers-Viera converted to tie the game at 28.
A 7-2 run to open the second half gave the Cougars a five-point lead with 17:42 on the clock before
Orion Mickens recorded his second tip-in of the half for the Roadrunners to snap the run. A layup for Kean started a 7-0 run which opened up a ten-point lead, 42-32, with a three-pointer from Daniel Dextraze. Ramapo cut the lead to eight with a three-pointer from
Elijah Barlow with under ten minutes left in the game before the Cougars went on another 10-2 run which gave them their biggest lead of the game, 59-43 (5:16). Ramapo closed out the game on a 15-6 run capped off with a three-pointer from
Nahum Lewis. Kean held on for the 65-58 NJAC win.
Three Cougars scored in double figures for the team as they were led by Dextraze who tallied 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four blocks and five steals. Phil Brown Jr. added 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists while Jeffers-Viera posted 11 points, three rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Kean shot 40% (24-60) from the field, 19% (4-21) from the three-point line and 86% (13-15) from the free throw line. The Cougars scored 40 points in the paint and 24 points off Ramapo turnovers.
Barlow scored a career high 23 points for Ramapo as he finished with two three-pointers and was perfect from the free throw line (5-5). He also recorded three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Tyrell Murchison and Lewis each tallied seven points while Lewis posted six rebounds. Mickens led the team with 11 rebounds including six offensive boards while adding six points. Hutchinson contributed with six points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal. The team shot 34% (22-64) from the field, 30% (4-13) from beyond the three-point line and 76% (10-13) from the free throw line.
The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday, December 6th when they host Rutgers-Camden University in NJAC action at 3:00 PM. All spectators can get in free by donating to the RCNJ Food Pantry by donating a non-perishable item,
find out more here!
