GLASSBORO, N.J. – The TCNJ men's basketball team saw its season come to an end with a hard-fought 96-83 setback at top-seeded Rowan in the NJAC semifinals on Tuesday night.

Pat Higgins poured in 23 points to lead four players in double figures for the Lions (10-17), who got a double-double from Jim Clemente (10 points, 12 rebounds) in his final collegiate game. The Profs will host No. 2 seed Stockton, a 91-86 winner over No. 3 Montclair State, in Friday night's final with the NJAC crown on the line.

TCNJ had upset Kean in overtime in the first round in overtime three days prior, pulling out an overtime thriller against an opponent it was swept by in the regular season. The circumstances were ripe for a repeat on Tuesday, but the high-powered Profs prevented a second dose of magic by shooting over 50 percent from the field (32-of-63) and 3-point range (12-of-22).

The Lions looked good early, grabbing a quick 6-2 lead on buckets by Clemente, Higgins, and Jason Larranaga. Marcellus Ross then caught fire, hitting three 3-pointers as part of a 17-4 run that put Rowan (21-5) on top, 19-10, just over six minutes into the contest.

Larranaga corralled an offensive rebound and buried a 3-pointer on a feed from Higgins to keep TCNJ in touch, down by just five (22-17) past the midway point of the first half. The Profs showed off their firepower again as the nation's fifth-ranked scoring offense rattled off a quick seven in a row and went on to open up a 15-point margin (41-26) on Ross' fourth triple of the period.

Trailing by 16 late in the half, Naysean Burch gave the Lions a lifeline with a pair of free throws and a trey to bring the spread down to 45-34 at the break.

The teams traded body blows in a smoldering start to the second stanza, and TCNJ made six of its first seven from the field after intermission to climb within 54-47 on the second of back-to-back baskets by DiCaro at the 16:14 mark.

Again, however, an extended Rowan run proved decisive as the hosts scored seven in a row and 13 of the next 17 points to go back up by 16 (67-51) on a triple by Damian Smith with 12:54 remaining. The Profs went on to lead by as many as 20 points (86-66) with 3:07 to play, but the Lions put their resiliency on display with a late barrage and got as close as 94-83 on a pull-up transition trey by Higgins in the final minute.

Ross finished with 22 points and Ja'Zere Noel put up 20 points and nine rebounds for Rowan, which also got 16 from Andrew Seager among five in double figures.
Higgins was 9-of-15 from the field and 5-of-8 from distance in establishing new TCNJ career bests in points and 3-pointers.

DiCaro tallied 12 points and seven rebounds and Bodine paired 11 points with six rebounds in their final appearances. Their fellow senior Clemente notched his second career double-double.

Burch finished with eight points in eight minutes in his Lions finale, and Matthew Okorie recorded seven points. Larranaga, who will return for a fifth year, had five points and five rebounds.

TCNJ racked up 17 offensive rebounds as part of a 45-34 edge on the glass, leading to 20 second-chance points and a 40-30 advantage in paint points.