CAMDEN, N.J. – The TCNJ men's basketball team set a new program record for defensive dominance in a 67-36 road rout at Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday night.
 
The Lions (6-3, 2-2) put the clamps on the Scarlet Raptors in historic fashion – for the second season in a row. In its last trip to Camden in February, TCNJ broke its previous mark for fewest points conceded in an NJAC contest in school history, only to do itself even better ten months later. The 36 points are the fewest the Lions have allowed in any game since 2006.
 
While TCNJ limited Rutgers-Camden to 24.5 percent shooting (13-for-53) and a 2-for-23 effort from 3-point range (8.7 percent), Jonathan Okocha had the offense humming efficiently with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-10 from the field, including four 3-pointers. David Alexandre added 12 points and Matthew Solomon chipped in with eight points and 11 rebounds to lead a resounding rebounding advantage (52-27).
 
TCNJ took control with an 8-0 run to go up 18-7, getting triples from Okocha and Mason Mangione during the spurt.
 
The Scarlet Raptors (6-3, 1-2) scored the last five points of the first half to get within 33-22 at the break, but the blue and gold quickly buried the hosts coming out of the locker room. Alexandre scored eight points during a 20-2 run that lasted beyond the midway point of the second stanza, after which TCNJ had seized a 53-24 advantage.
 
The lead never dipped below 23 the rest of the way and twice grew to 32 points, including on a Connor Howard 3-pointer with 2:25 to go that made it 66-34.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• TCNJ was a solid 46.6 percent from the field (27-of-58) and 8-of-21 from 3-point range (38.1 percent)
• TCNJ grabbed 17 offensive rebounds on the way to a 12-2 edge in second-chance points
• The Lions held the Scarlet Raptors to a frigid 4-for-27 from the field (14.8 percent) in the second half

STANDOUT LIONS

• Okocha was 4-of-6 from 3-point range and added five rebounds
• Alexandre finished 5-for-6 from the field in his first double-digit outing in five games
• Solomon was an efficient 3-of-5 from the floor
• Nick Koch finished with six points, six rebounds, and three assists
• Khalid Bakare grabbed a season-high seven rebounds, just one shy of his career high

NOTES

• Koch became the third player in program history to eclipse 300 career assists
• Solomon became the fifth player in program history to reach 800 career rebounds
• With three assists, Solomon also moved past Anthony DiCaro and into 10th on the all-time charts with 242
• TCNJ has won 22 straight games against Rutgers-Camden, its last loss coming in Camden on November 25, 2014

UP NEXT

• The Lions host Ramapo on Saturday in their final NJAC game of 2025