PATERSON, N.J. – Danny Bodine scored 17 points to lead three TCNJ men's basketball players in double figures, and the Lions came out of William Paterson with a 72-65 victory on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Lions clinched an NJAC Tournament First Round home game next Saturday.
 
TCNJ earned its first road victory since Dec. 1 by locking down on defense against William Paterson. TCNJ held the Pioneers to just 36.2 percent from the field and 21.2 percent from three-point range, helping to counteract the Lions' 4-for-25 mark from three-point range.
 
Bodine also led the way, scoring 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting while adding 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season and second in as many games. He provided the biggest highlight of the afternoon when he dunked over Yvens Monfleury and was fouled on the play with 4:57 remaining in the second half. Bodine hit the free throw to give the Lions a 60-49 lead.
 
The Lions held a double-digit lead as late as 2:49 after Bodine hit a pair of free throws, but WPU stormed back in those final minutes to make a game of it. After Naysean Burch hit two free throws with 1:03 left to make it 66-58, WPU nailed a three pointer to make it 66-61 with 54 seconds left. Burch scored 12 points with a pair of three pointers in a team-high 34 minutes.
 
Jacob Hopping and Bodine each hit a free throw on the Lions' next two possessions, sandwiching a Pioneer bucket to keep the lead at five, 68-63, with 27 seconds left. The Pioneers again scored on their next possession, a layup by Domenic Mignone to make it 68-65 with 21 seconds left.
 
Hopping sealed the game, though, with four makes in four tries at the stripe in the final seconds as WPU missed all three of its three pointers in its final possessions. Hopping scored all nine of his points from the free-throw line, missing just once.
 
Justin Carbone was the third TCNJ scorer to reach double figures, finishing with 11 points.
 
The NJAC made the decision earlier this season to expand the conference tournament to include all 10 teams, setting up a four-team First Round on Saturday, Feb. 19. With this victory, the Lions have clinched the No. 8 seed and will face No. 9 Ramapo. Tip-off time will be announced next week following the team's final regular season game. TCNJ will host Rutgers-Newark on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. for Senior Night.