WAYNE, N.J. – Danny Bodine became the all-time program leader in blocked shots to put a bow on a relentless defensive performance as the TCNJ men's basketball team got back in the win column with a 65-56 victory at William Paterson on Saturday.

Bodine had three of his five rejections in the first half to surpass Jimmy Glover's mark of 138, which had stood unchallenged since 1990. It was in keeping with the theme of the afternoon for the tenacious Lions, who stifled the Pioneers into 28.6-percent shooting in the first 20 minutes.

The result was long overdue for TCNJ (3-11, 2-5), which had suffered through a nine-game skid and had dropped four games by five points or less since a win over Rutgers-Camden on November 22.

Jim Clemente and Jason Larranaga gave the visitors a big spark off the bench in the first half, helping to turn 5-0 and 7-2 early deficits into a 22-10 lead during a 10-minute stretch of dominance. The Pioneers (8-6, 2-5) misfired on 15 of their 16 field-goal attempts during that lengthy stretch, which saw Clemente score seven points and Larranaga knock down a pair of 3-pointers to go with an active presence on the glass.

William Paterson responded with a 12-2 run of its own to get within 24-22 and even went back in front, 30-29, with 16:03 to play.

Matthew Solomon's lay-in – on a feed from Anthony DiCaro – on the next trip gave the Lions the lead for good, and the visitors were all set to embark on another massive spurt. TCNJ rattled off the next 16 points of the game, getting field goals from six different players – including a pair of 3-pointers from DiCaro – to seize a 45-30 lead at the 9:56 mark.

The Pioneers ended their dry spell with a bucket, but TCNJ came right back with back-to-back baskets from Bodine and another from Solomon to stretch out to a 17-point advantage (51-34).

William Paterson got as close as 60-55 with just over a minute remaining, but the hosts misfired on a 3-pointer that would have cut it to two. Matthew Okorie corralled critical defensive rebounds on that miss and one on the next Pioneers possession, and DiCaro and Pat Higgins cashed in with a pair at the line apiece to end the orange and black's comeback hopes.

DiCaro topped the Lions with 14 points, which included a trio of treys. Bodine landed on 11 points and eight boards to go with the five rejections, and Clemente registered 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

Solomon again flirted with a double-double, scoring nine points on 4-for-5 shooting to go with seven rebounds, and Larranaga had nine points on three 3-pointers.
TCNJ shot 57.7 percent (15-for-26) from the field in the second half and outrebounded William Paterson by a 46-29 margin.

The Lions were exceptional in perimeter defense, pestering the Pioneers into making just 3 of 21 from 3-point range.

The men's basketball team hopes to start a winning streak when Rutgers-Newark comes to Packer Hall on Wednesday, January 11.