NEWARK, N.J. – A frantic final few seconds saw the lead change hands twice, but unfortunately for the TCNJ men's basketball team, the upper hand rested with Rutgers-Newark when the horn sounded. Rutgers-Newark used a pair of free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining to defeat the Lions, 63-62, in NJAC action on Monday night at The Golden Dome. The NJAC matchup was a rescheduled game from a weather-induced postponement on Jan. 19.
 
TCNJ looked to have a shot at the victory thanks to a wild possession in the final half-minute. Trailing, 61-60, the Lions pulled down three offensive rebounds to keep the possession alive. P.J. Ringel missed a layup but grabbed his own board. After a Niall Carpenter miss, Mike Walley grabbed the rebound and tossed up a three pointer, but that missed. The loose ball after the shot bounced around off several hands, and it came into Randall Walko's grasp in the paint. He had a clear path to the hoop, and his layup gave the Lions a 62-61 lead with seven seconds remaining.
 
After a Rutgers-Newark timeout, the Scarlet Raiders' Tyler Ofray raced down-court and straight to the rim. He drew a foul, and he made both free throws to put Rutgers-Newark back on top with just 2.5 seconds on the clock.
 
TCNJ called timeout, but the Lions didn't get a decent shot off before the horn sounded.
 
The Lions led by as many as 11 early in the second half and held a 51-42 lead with 8:58 remaining after two Walko free throws. Rutgers-Newark fought back to take the lead, though, with a 13-0 run over the next 3:16 of gameplay. Quincy Rutherford's free throws with 5:42 left made it 55-51 Rutgers-Newark.
 
Walley hit a three to cut the Rutgers-Newark lead to 59-57 with 1:45 to play, and Carpenter responded after a Scarlet Raiders bucket with a three pointer on the Lions' ensuing possession. His three pointer cut it to 61-60 with 1:15 left.
 
The Lions forced a missed three pointer on the next possession, and that set up the wild final 30 seconds that culminated with a pair of lead changes with the clock in single digits.
 
Carpenter led all Lions scorers with 20 points. He just missed the double-double by a single rebound. He went 6-for-10 from three-point range.
 
All nine other Lions who played made a field goal. Jordan Glover led that brigade with eight points and eight rebounds.
 
TCNJ used hot shooting to take a 35-28 lead into halftime. The Lions shot 51.9 percent from the floor while making 7-of-14 shots from three-point range. Rutgers-Newark shot just 35.5 percent from the floor while making 37.5 percent of its first-half three pointers.
 
The Lions are back in action in Packer Hall against Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. It's Tropical Night, and fans are encouraged to wear their favorite beach gear. Fans will also receive leis and sunglasses at the door.