Box Score

Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey men's basketball team hosted the Cougars of Kean University on Wednesday night in NJAC league match-up with post-season implications on the line. The Cougars would record the win rookie guard Keith Williams (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) led the contest with his 22 points. Kean improves to 9-14 overall and 4-7 in the NJAC, while TCNJ drops to 6-16 overall and 2-8 in the league.

Williams led the Cougars on the night as he connected for 12 second half points to pace his squad to their third straight victory and a split with TCNJ on the year. TCNJ won the first meeting on January 16 at Kean by a final score of 65-63.

The two teams were tied at 26-26 at the break and would exchange leads five times in the second half with six ties before Kean took the lead for good.

Kean broke a 37-37 tie and would take a five point lead, (42-37) at 11:06 as freshman Akinwande Oshodi (Florence, NJ/Florence) completed a three-point play and junior forward Sean Carter (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Boro) hit a jumper. Oshodi would finish with 18 points, while senior guard Lamar Wright (Galloway, NJ/Abesgami) added 12 points for the Cougars.

Kean would build a nine point lead at 5:40 as they led 51-42 and would hold the Lions at bay down the stretch. TCNJ would hold a 41-28 edge on the boards, but was forced to commit 19 turnovers on the night by Kean's defense.

Senior Jeff Warner (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) and junior guard Jeff Molinelli (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) each finished with 12 points on the night, while senior forward Mark Aziz (Hackettstown, NJ/West Morris Central) added 11 points. Senior guard Corey Gilmore (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) added 10 points before fouling out of the contest in the final minute of play.

TCNJ returns to action on February 16 at Richard Stockton for a 3 p.m. road contest at Richard Stockton College, while Kean will play next, hosting Richard Stockton on February 20.