HOBOKEN, NJ – Rutgers-Newark juniors Al'Don Muhammad, Pedro Burgos and Jeremiah Rivers combined for 64 points, but Stevens wore down the Scarlet Raiders for an 84-71 win in the title game of the ECAC Metro Men's Basketball Championship Playoffs in Canavan Arena.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Muhammad finished with a team-high 24 points and seven assists while Burgos tallied 21 points. Rivers chipped in 19 points and four steals, but a deep Ducks roster was too much for Rutgers-Newark to overcome.

Tournament MVP Sheldon Jones scored 20 of his game-high 34 points in the second half as the Ducks (22-7) hit 18 of 27 shots (66.7%) from the field and made 13 0f 16 free throws to pull away from the Raiders (19-8). Junior forward Simon Smith notched a double-double with 19 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Guards Russ Thompson and Mike Cutri scored 11 apiece with Thompson also dishing out seven assists.

Burgos, Rivers and Muhammad combined to score all but two of the Scarlet Raiders' first half points as the Ducks clawed out a 31-28 edge. Rutgers-Newark was whistled for 10 personal fouls with starting forward Noah McCoy collecting four to put the injury-depleted Raiders into a deeper disadvantage.

Jones netted 14 of the Duck's first half points, but Rutgers-Newark stayed close despite shooting an icy one for 14 (7.1%) from 3-point range for the period.

A 3-point jumper by junior guard Greg Moore capped a 9-2 run to open the second half, giving the Raiders a 37-33 lead with 17:12 left. The game stayed close for the next few minute with a jumper by Muhammad giving the Raiders a 45-42 lead with 14:34 left.

But a Cutri trey put the Ducks up for good as the home team methodically pulled in away to lead by as many as 15 points in the final minute.

Rivers and Muhammad each shot eight for 13 from the floor, but the rest of the Raider team made just seven of 41.

The Raiders came within a victory of posting back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in program history. Rutgers-Newark reached the ECAC Metro title game for the first time since 1996 when the Raiders took the title under head coach Jim Hill.

Six of Rutgers-Newark's eight trips to the post-season playoff have come under 10th-year head coach Joe Loughran.