Box score

Union, NJ … The College of New Jersey men's basketball team dropped its New Jersey Athletic Conference opener at Kean University, falling 88-78 in Union, NJ.

The Lions (1-5, 0-1 NJAC) cooled off after a torrid shooting pace in the first half as the Cougars (3-2, 1-0 NJAC) road the shoulders of Jonathan Jones and took advantage of 21 TCNJ turnovers to record their third win of the season.

Sophomore Donovan Smalls (Union, NJ/Union) put up 23 points and four assists for TCNJ, while senior Steve Siracusa (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) scored 16 points and fell one rebound shy of a double-double to lead the Lions with 9 boards. Smalls has now scored over 20 points in the last four games.

Jones, who entered the game averaging 25 points and 15.3 rebounds, was a dominant force in the game scoring a season-high 32 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end of the court.

The first half was a fireworks display as 15 players on the court combined for 92 points in the opening 20 minutes. TCNJ went on an 8-0 run to take an 18-10 lead just under seven minutes into the game. A pair Siracusa free throws gave the Lions their largest lead at 25-16, but Kean caught fire scoring on nine, straight possessions during an 18-2 run to take command of the game.

Smalls refused to let the game slip away hitting a pair of three-point shots to temper the Cougar charge and cut the lead to 38-35. The conference opponents traded blows over the final four minutes with Kean taking a 47-45 in the locker room.

The Lions shot 62 percent (16-of-26) from the field, while Kean shot 50 percent and turned the ball over just four times.

The game remained a tight battle in the second half as a Kyle Rawson (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills) tip-in at the 12:03 mark tied the game at 56. The Cougars went on a 12-2 run, however, to stretch the lead to double digits. Rawson and junior Pete Kelly (Mercerville, NJ/Nottingham) hit baskets to cut to deficit to single digits, but Jones was difficult to contain as he iced the game with a dunk with just over a minute to play.

Kelly tallied a career-high 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting that included a pair of three-pointers. Sophomore Brandon Johnson (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) finished with nine points and five rebounds, while Rawson chipped in with seven points.

The Lions remain on the road for their next conference game as they visit Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday, December 3 at 8 p.m.