Ewing, NJ … A stifling defense in the opening half set the course for The College of New Jersey men's basketball team as they registered a 69-54 victory over William Paterson University in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Wednesday night.
 
The win sets up an exciting conference showdown this Saturday when the Lions (8-4, 5-1 NJAC) visit unbeaten Ramapo College (12-0, 6-0 NJAC) for a 3 p.m. match-up.
 
Four TCNJ players reached double figures, led by junior Eric Murdock, Jr. (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater) with 16 points. Senior Bobby Brackett (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) registered a double double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Classmate Corey Stanford (Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Tafford) had a productive night with 12 points, eight boards, and five assists, while Jordan Glover (Trenton, NJ/Lawrence) finished with 10 points and four rebounds.
 
The Lions didn't have their best night offensively, but picked up their game on the defensive end. They held WPU to under 30 percent shooting and allowed just four, three-point field goals.
 
Both teams sputtered on offense in the opening minutes. After Pioneer forward Fredrik Hagbarth drained a three-pointer from the top of the key for the game's first points, TCNJ came to life with a 14-2 run. Junior Elias Bermudez (Westwood, NJ/Westwood) knocked down his first three shots of the contest to spark the host squad.
 
The Lions continued to pressure WPU shooters throughout the first half. They allowed just six field goals as the Pioneers made good on only 6-of-31 shots (19 percent) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Stanford and Glover each knocked down a pair of three-point field goals in the first half and joined Bermudez with eight points apiece.
 
A 10-0 run midway through second half put the Pioneers back in striking distance. Guard Anthony Uribe connected from behind the arc on consecutive possessions. He then finished underneath to make it a 41-35 game with 12 minutes left in the contest. Two free throws and a reverse lay-up by Brackett stopped the bleeding.
 
The Pioneers continued press throughout the second half. They were able to force 16 turnovers as guard Joseph Taylor led the defensive effort with four steals.
 
A big play in the contest came with nine minutes remaining. With TCNJ holding tight to a 45-43 advantage, Murdock, Jr. hit a long, three-pointer. Seconds later, sophomore Joe Montano (Eatontown, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) picked off a pass and converted the lay-up to give the Lions momentum and a quick, seven-point cushion.
 
In the closing minutes, The Lions mounted a 10-0 run to pull away and secured their eighth win of the season. William Paterson converted just two field goals in the final eight minutes of play.
 
The 15 points by Bracket gives him 931 for his career. He is currently 69 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point milestone for career at TCNJ.
 
The Lions are back in action on Saturday when battle the Roadrunners (12-0). Ramapo overcame a 20-point, first-half deficit to defeat Rutgers-Camden tonight 94-86 to remain undefeated.