Ewing, NJ … A 13-3 run to close out the game lifted The College of New Jersey men's basketball team to a hard-fought 87-79 victory over Rowan University in an intense New Jersey Athletic Conference battle on Wednesday night in Packer Hall.
 
The Lions (7-2) won their fourth straight and remained unbeaten in conference play at 4-0. They handed the Profs (6-3, 3-1) their first NJAC loss of the young season.

Junior Eric Murdock, Jr. (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) was a single rebound shy of a triple-double as he rang up 18 points, 10 assists, and nine boards. Murdock, Jr. was relentless in the second half and drained all 12 free throws he took to will TCNJ to the come-from-behind win. Senior Corey Stanford (Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Tafford) netted a game-high 22 points and ten rebounds for his third double-double of the season, while teammate Bobby Brackett (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) added 10 points and seven boards.
 
Constant pressure by the Profs made each possession a challenge for the Lions. Rowan, who had five players in double figures, played with what seemed unlimited energy on the floor. But a 44-37 TCNJ advantage under the boards and 14 second-chance points were difference makers, along with a converting 20-of-23 free throws.
 
The opening half had its share of highlights. Four different Lions drained three-point baskets, but a one-handed jam by sophomore Jordan Glover (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) and an alley-oop from Eric Klacik to Brackett got the Packer home crowd fired up.
 
Brackett netted 10 points and grabbed six boards in the opening half, but it was off-set by the outside shooting of Nick DePersia. He was 4-of-7 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes to spearhead a 38-37 lead for Rowan at the break.

The Profs came out with fresh energy in the second half and rattled off the first six points. Five straight points from Stanford cut the deficit to 44-42, but a three-point bucket and three consecutive free throws on the ensuing possession from Shawn Wilson gave Rowan its largest lead at 50-42. Wilson finished with a team-high 19 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
 
The pace of play finally slowed down with just under 14 minutes remaining and the Lions took advantage. Trailing by 10, Murdock, Jr. dropped in two straight baskets on drives and then assisted on a three off the finger-tips of sophomore Kevin Bloodgood (Oceanport, NJ/Shore Regional). That shrunk the deficit to 58-55. The Lions finally drew even when Ryan Jensen (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) entered the game and drilled a 3-pointer from the top to tie the contest at 60 with 11 minutes to play.
 
Under a minute later, Murdock, Jr. found sophomore Liam Byrne (Middletown, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) in position in the right corner and he iced a shot from behind the arc to give TCNJ its first lead in over 15 minutes. Jensen struck again from downtown to stretch the lead to 68-64.
 
The intensity continued as the Profs regained the advantage. With 3:16 remaining, Glover banked in a layup to tie the game, 76-76. Murdock, Jr. drained a jumper and Klacik came up huge with a three-point basket to give the Lions an 81-76 cushion with 1:44 on the game clock. Six free throws down the stretch from Murdock, Jr. secured the home win to set up a high-octane match-up with New Jersey City University on Saturday.
 
The Lions are back in action this Saturday when they visit New Jersey City University for a 3 p.m. tip-off. The Gothic Knights are 7-1 this season with a 4-0 mark in the NJAC standings.

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