NEWARK, NJ – Sophomore guard Al'Don Muhammad poured in a game-high 25 points as Rutgers-Newark downed Montclair State, 66-48, in The Golden Dome to stay alive in the race for a New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament berth.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Sophomore forward Hussein Abdelmaksoud hauled down a game-high 17 rebounds and netted eight points as the Scarlet Raiders (17-7, NJAC 7-6) finished their regular season with a split against NJAC North Division foe MSU (17-6, NJAC 7-4) to keep hopes for one of six NJAC tournament berths alive. Junior guard Greg Moore hit three treys in the second half to finish with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Senior forward Tyrone Prewitt paced the Red Hawks with 11 points, a dozen rebounds and four blocked shots while guards A.J. Larkin and Rodney Freeney scored nine points apiece.

Coupled with New Jersey City's 81-69 upset of North Division leading Ramapo earlier in the day, the stage is set for a crucial Monday-Wednesday regular-season ending doubleheader between Montclair State and NJCU (15-8, NJAC 7-4). Rutgers-Newark gets the division's third and final slot if and only if NJCU sweeps the Red Hawks. A split by the MSU and NJCU or an MSU sweep would eliminate the Raiders, sending the Red Hawks and Gothic Knights to the NJAC tournament.

Larkin hit two treys on his way to eight first-half points as the Red Hawks took a 30-29 lead into the lockerroom.  A free throw by senior forward Charles Miller gave MSU a 25-15 lead with 6:56 left in the period before junior forward Jeremiah Rivers and Muhammad fueled a 14-2 run which put the Raiders up 29-27 with 1:52 left.  A trey by freshman guard Michael Price with 1:25 remaining gave MSU the edge at the break.

Rutgers-Newark scored the first three baskets of the second half to lead 35-30 and never trailed again.  The Red Hawks trimmed the lead to two three times before junior guard Pedro Burgos and Moore sparked a decisive 10-0 run which staked the Raiders to a 49-37 lead with 9:03 left.

Burgos, the No. 2 scorer in the NJAC, was held to just eight points, but he made two of four 3-point shots, pulled down four rebounds, dished off two assists and made a pair of steals.   Rivers battled foul trouble to contribute eight points, three rebounds and two assists. 

New Jersey City hosts the Monday night game at 8 agaisnt the Red Hawks before MSU gains homecourt advantage on Wednesday at 8.

Rutgers-Newark can only watch, wait and hope for a Gothic Knight sweep.