EWING, N.J. - Behind a career-best outing from senior Jonathan Okocha, the No. 24 TCNJ men's basketball team erupted for 106 points to cruise past the City College of New York (CCNY) and into tomorrow's Greg Grant Tip-Off Tournament Championship Game. The Lions' point total is the most in a single game in program history since scoring 110 in 2010, easily lifting TCNJ to a 106-74 victory.
 
Okocha was red hot from the opening tip, going a perfect 5-5 from deep in the first half en route to setting career-high marks in points (28) and triples (8) to lead the way for the Lions. The senior was joined in double figures by Nick Koch (15), Daniel Yarus (15), Mason Mangione (11) and Jordan Robinson (10), with Koch and David Alexandre finishing with a game-high six assists apiece.
 
Defensively it was TCNJ's trio of Koch, Yarus and Matthew Solomon sharing the team-lead with six rebounds while Koch was also responsible for four of the Lions' 10 thefts on the night.
 
Koch struck first in a game that TCNJ (2-1) never trailed, converting on an and-one just over 20 seconds into the contest before back-to-back Okocha triples gave the Lions a 9-5 lead with two minutes elapsed. The Beavers (0-2) used a quick 4-0 burst to trim the lead to four at 17-13, but five straight from Okocha ignited an extended 18-5 TCNJ run that was capped off by a perfect visit to the stripe from Robinson.
 
Threes from Okocha – the senior's fifth on five tries in the opening half – and Mangione kept the Lions firmly in control up 52-34 before a Solomon dunk on a nice feed from Koch served as an exclamation point to end the frame on a 4-0 run and send TCNJ into the break up 56-34.
 
The lead remained at 22 seven minutes into the second half thanks in large part to the Lions' trio of Koch, Mangione and Okocha before a lay-in from the senior – his lone non-3-point attempt on the night – kickstarted another 13-2 run to make it an 85-54 advantage in favor of the hosts.
 
A layup by Lucas Dipasupil pushed TCNJ over the century mark for the first time this season, with another lay from Connor Howard in the final minute pushing the Lions' lead to 106-74 at the final buzzer.
 
With the win, TCNJ will now play 13th-ranked Wesleyan in the Greg Grant Tip-Off Championship game. The Cardinals won their game against Johnson & Wales by a score of 100-38 to punch their ticket to the final.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Lions shot 53.6 percent (37-69) from the field, 41.2 percent (14-34) from 3-point land and 75 percent (18-24) from the charity stripe.
• CCNY shot 46.7 percent (28-60) from the field, 40 percent (4-10) from deep and 60.9 percent (14-23) from the free throw line.
• TCNJ held advantages in points off turnovers (20-13), second-chance points (16-6), points in the paint (42-32) and fastbreak points (17-4).
• The Lions dominated the glass Friday night, outrebounding the Beavers 46-29.
• TCNJ's 26 assists are the most in a game since the 2022-23 season.

STANDOUT LIONS

• Okocha registered career-highs in points (28) and threes made (8), shooting 75 percent (9-12) from the field and 72 percent (8-11) from deep. The senior added two free throws.
• Yarus' 15 points are a career high and the sophomore's first time reaching double figures. He was an efficient 6-11 from the field and hit multiple threes for the second time this season.
• Koch and Alexandre did it all in the backcourt for TCNJ, combining for 23 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds and six steals.
• Mangione and Robinson also reached double digits in scoring for the first time in their careers with 11 and 10 respectively. Mangione sank a career-high three triples to reach his total.

FOR THE FOES

• Justin Morety was impressive for CCNY despite the loss, pouring in 27 points on 50 percent shooting.
• Morety was joined in double figures by Samuel Olubakin (13) and Olabanjo Aborisade (13).

UP NEXT

• The Lions will play for the title Saturday, Nov. 15 against No. 13 Wesleyan, with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m.