Montclair, NJ: The Montclair State University men's basketball team defeated Ramapo College in overtime of the NJAC Championship game, 91-85. The Red Hawks (21-6) earned the conference's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The Roadrunners (20-7) will wait to hear their name called on Monday afternoon when the full 64-team NCAA bracket is revealed. The selection show is set to air at noon on www.ncaa.com.
Shane Rooney opened the game completing an and-one play on a made layup for a quick 3-0 lead. Just over a minute later Jacob Morales would tie the game with a three-pointer, the first of 11 made three-pointers for the Red Hawks. Ramapo would go on a 17-6 run to take a 20-9 lead with just over 11 minutes left in the first half. Rooney made a pair of free throws to start the run while
Peter Gorman made a layup off a pass from
Justin Bladen. During the run Gorman scored nine while Rooney,
Anthony Corbo,
Jordan Myers and
Branden Moore all posted two points. MSU would then go on a 22-4 run of their own which included four three-points as Morales posted eight, Mike Jackson and Kabrien Goss added five and Ahmad Robertson scored four. The run ate just under six minutes on the clock as the Red Hawks led by seven with 4:37 remaining, 31-24. Myers stopped the run with a jumper before Gorman sank a three-pointer to shrink the MSU lead to just two with 3:49 on the clock. Jackson hit a layup to start a mini 6-2 run to close out the first half with a 37-31 lead.
Each team traded baskets to open the second, a three-pointer for MSU and a jumper by Corbo for the Roadrunners. Goss added two points before Ramapo would go on a 12-2 run which gave them a one-point lead, 45-44 with just over 15 minutes to play in the second half. Six Roadrunners each tallied two points during the run. The two teams had an answer whenever the other scored in the final 14 minutes of the game as it was tied 11 different times. Myers scored in the paint for Ramapo with 2:24 on the clock before Morales converted a pair of free throws. The first tied the game while the second gave them a one-point lead with 2:12 remaining. Rooney scored a jumper for the Roadrunners before Goss added two on a layup for the Red Hawks as MSU led by one with 1:28 remaining. Corbo sank a big three-pointer off a dish from Rooney for a 78-76 Ramapo lead with one-minute to play in regulation. Following a timeout, Jackson was able to drive to the basket for the Red Hawks and tie the game with a layup, 78-78 with 42 seconds remaining. The Roadrunners missed a three-pointer but Corbo grabbed the offensive board before calling a timeout with 12 seconds on the clock. Ramapo got off a three-pointer with just 4 ticks remaining that just missed sending the game into overtime.
Montclair capitalized on their opportunities in the overtime period scoring the first five points. Ramapo did not get on the board until 1:49 remaining on a pair of free throws from Rooney to cut the lead to three. Jackson added a layup for the Red Hawks while Rooney converted on an and-one play with 49 second remaining seeing the Roadrunners only down two. After a two-point basket from Myles Primas which gave MSU a four-point lead Corbo sank a pair of free throws which would be the final points for the Roadrunners in the game. MSU would score their final points of the game from the free throw line as they held on for the 91-85 NJAC Championship game victory.
Five Roadrunners scored in double figures in the game as they were led by Rooney who posted 22 points including finishing 8-8 from the free throw line along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Gorman added 18 points including two three-pointers while Myers added 14 points. Corbo recorded a career high 17 rebounds while adding 13 points, six assists and two steals.
Tim Linton added 12 points off the bench for the Roadrunners finishing 6-6 from the field. The team shot 48% (34-70) from the field, 15% (3-20) from the three-point line and 87% (14-16) from the free throw line. Ramapo tallied 54 points in the paint, 16 points off Red Hawk turnovers and 14 second chance points.
Two Red Hawks recorded 20-point games tonight as Morales led the way with 28 points including six three-pointers. Jackson added 25 points finishing 9-18 from the floor, 2-7 from three-point line and 5-5 from the free throw line. Kieran Flanagan dished out seven assists while adding 12 points and six rebounds. Primas contributed with 10 points and three steals. The Red Hawks shot 47% (32-68) from the floor, 37% (11-29) from the three-point line and 84% (16-19) from the free throw line. MSU scored 36 points in the paint tonight while they added 17 points off Roadrunner turnovers and 12 second chance points.
