Ewing, NJ …The College of New Jersey men's basketball team fought its way to a 66-54 victory over Rutgers University-Camden on Wednesday night in Packer Hall.
 
The win did not come easily for the Lions, but they earned the outcome they needed to improve to 9-8 and 5-5 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference play. The victory created some distance from teams beneath them in the standings as TCNJ is currently tied for fifth place. The top six teams qualify for the conference playoffs as the Lions are seeking their first post-season berth since the 2008-09 season.
 
Senior Jayson Johnson (Bordentown, NJ/Life Center Academy) came through with a team-high 16 points in the win. Freshman Eric Murdock, Jr. (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater) put forth an outstanding all-around effort with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Murdock, Jr. was a spark on both ends of the floor in the second half and played a significant role in the home court triumph.
 
The Lions held Rutgers-Camden under 60 points for just the third time this season. They were playing without their top scorer in Wyatt Polk (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial). Senior forward Teon Russell (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) led RUC with 17 points and eight rebounds in the game. Junior Alex Smart (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) finished with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
 
Defense was on display in the opening half. The Lions held the Scarlet Raptors to just seven field goals in the first 15 minutes of play. RUC matched the intensity at the opposite end of the floor, surrendering only eight buckets in the half. Good looks were hard to come by as TCNJ shot just 32 percent from the floor. The Scarlet Raptors were a shade better, hitting 40 percent of their shots.
 
Two free throws by Murdock, Jr. put the Lions ahead 19-12 with 6:59 remaining in the period. The Scarlet Raptors took the lead momentarily with an 8-0 run. TCNJ quickly responded with a jumper from Jayson Johnson to regain the advantage. Johnson then scored off transition and Murdock, Jr. knocked down two more free throws to send the Lions to the locker room with a 25-23 lead.
 
Johnson picked up where he left off in the early moments of the second half, but Smart heated up for RUC. He scored three straight baskets for the Scarlet Raptors (including a 3-pointer) to pull his team within two points. A steal and layup by John Tatem (Camden, NJ/Pennsauken) evened the contest at 27 with 11:30 to play.
 
Leading 42-40 just past the midpoint of the second half, freshman Elias Bermudez (Westwood, NJ/Westwood) took a feed from Murdock, Jr. and drilled a three-point shot. Eric Klacik (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) converted a pair of free throws and then drove through traffic off transition to sneak in a layup. Smart knocked down a pair of free throws, but Kevin Johnson (Belle Mead NJ/Montgomery) answered with a three-pointer to give TCNJ its largest lead of the game at 52-42.
 
The Lions fended off the Scarlet Raptors in the final minutes of play. They withstood their full-court press and knocked down free throws to secure a critical NJAC win.
 
Senior Skyelar Ettin (Princeton,  NJ/Princeton) had  a solid game, connecting on 5-of-8 shot and finishing with 11 points. Murdock, Jr. was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. Bermuzed added seven points and two boards, while Kevin Johnson chipped in with five points in 11 minutes on the floor.
 
The Lions visit Montclair State University this Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. tip-off.