EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ men's basketball team led well into the second half of Wednesday's NJAC clash with Rowan before the Profs used a big run midway through the frame to hold off the hosts for an 87-82 decision inside Packer Hall.

Anthony DiCaro poured in 23 points on a 7-of-11 effort from 3-point range to keep TCNJ close throughout, but the high-octane Profs proved to have a little too much firepower.

Pat Higgins finished with a career-high 20 points and Danny Bodine chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds in another ultra-efficient performance for the Lions' stretch forward.

A hectic, turnover-filled start settled into an early TCNJ advantage as DiCaro nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to push the hosts out to a 9-4 lead five minutes after tip.

The lead grew to 11-4 before the Lions fell into a rut, and the Profs (3-2, 2-0) capitalized with a 14-0 run highlighted by a 3-pointers on three straight possessions by Josh Wright to go in front, 18-11.

DiCaro refused to let the Profs separate further, knocking down another triple to staunch the run and banging home his fourth of the half to get within 23-20. Olare Oladipo rattled in a corner 3 and, after a Rowan bucket, Naysean Burch converted a difficult floater before Oladipo assisted on a long-range triple from Bodine to put the Lions back on top, 28-26, at the 3:35 mark.

Burch's hanging drive made it 31-28 before Rowan responded with five straight, taking the lead on a fourth triple by Wright before Higgins set up a lay-in by Matthew Solomon to send the teams into the locker room tied at 33.

Rowan opened the second half with a four-point play from Wright, but the Lions turned on the jets with a lighting-fast 12-3 spurt. Bodine ignited the run with a left-wing triple before DiCaro blew by his man for a lay-up and, after Rowan regained the lead at 40-38 with a 3, Higgins sandwiched a go-ahead triple and a bucket in the paint around another trey by DiCaro to propel the Lions to a 46-40 advantage and force a timeout three minutes into the second half.

TCNJ (2-3, 1-1) continued to play from in front, leading by four (53-49) on a corner 3 by Trevor Covey and again on a Bodine baby hook that made it 55-51 with 11:19 remaining.

That's when the tables turned for the Profs, who promptly popped off a 9-0 run and took the lead for good on a Marcellus Ross put-back at the 9:51 mark before Ja'Zere Noel added to the cushion with a three-point play for a 60-55 edge.

Ross' 3-pointer extended the Rowan spread to 67-58 with 7:36 to play, and the visitors moved in front by 11 multiple times, the last on two free throws by Connor Dickerson with 3:09 on the timer.

The Lions made one last push, closing to within four on a lay-in by Higgins with 10.6 ticks showing. Ross, however, ended any hopes of a comeback with two free throws on the other end.

Ross had 19 points and Wright landed on 18 for the Profs, who dominated the glass to the tune of 17 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points. Nine players saw between 18 and 27 minutes of action for Rowan, which went 25-of-32 from the foul line compared to just 7-of-10 for TCNJ.

Higgins added a career-high six rebounds and four assists to his line, while Bodine went 6-for-10 from the floor and made all three of his 3-point tries to make it four out of five games this season in which he has made more than half of his field-goal attempts.

DiCaro's seven 3-pointers gave him an even 100 for his career, making him the 13th player in program history to achieve that milestone.

Solomon paired six points with six rebounds in 21 effective minutes off the bench.

TCNJ heads north for a showdown with New Jersey City on Saturday.