MAHWAH, NJ – Junior guard Chadd Barnes poured in a game-high 24 points, but resurgent Ramapo muscled its way past Rutgers-Newark, 85-68, in a key New Jersey Athletic Conference game in the Bradley Center.
NCAA Box Score
Sophomore forward Phil Barnes hit five of seven shots from the floor on his way to 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds and junior forward David Cherry chipped in 11 points, but the Roadrunners (13-10, NJAC 7-4) earned a regular-season series split with the Raiders (13-11, NJAC 6-6) and went two games up in the loss column over Rutgers-Newark in the race for one of three North Division berths in the upcoming conference championship tournament.
Senior guard Tim Wesley, who notched his 1,000th career point, hit back-to-back jumpers to ignite a 9-0 Roadrunner rally which snapped a 28-28 tie. When sophomore forward Isaiah Lynch put back a missed Ramapo jumper with 2:27 left in the opening half, the Roadrunners had a 37-28 lead. Wesley netted 11 of his team-high 23 points in the opening period as Ramapo led 44-33 at intermission.
Cherry had a jumper and a pair of free throws, followed by a free throw by Phil Barnes, as Rutgers-Newark scored the first five points of the second period to trim the deficit to 44-38. But, Ramapo answered with an 11-0 run sparked by three jumpers by senior center Omar Alston to make it 55-38 with 14:20 left. The Raiders got no closer than 10 points before the Roadrunners pulled away to lead 72-52 with five minutes remaining on a jumper by Wesley.
Ramapo dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Raiders 43-26 behind Wesley who hauled down a dozen boards. Senior forward Assad Shaakir turned in an outstanding all-around performance with a dozen points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Alston finished with 12 points and five rebounds while junior guard Desmond Sanders hit nine of 14 free throws on his way to 15 points, five assists and four rebounds. Freshman guard Ahmad Hassan scored 10 points to give Ramapo five players in double figures.
Rutgers-Newark closes out its regular season on Saturday, hosting North Division-leading William Paterson in an NJAC doubleheader. The women tip off at 5:30 p.m. with the men to follow at 7:30 on Senior Night.
