Box Score GALLOWAY, N.J. – Top-seeded Stockton overcame a shaky first period to down upset-minded Rutgers University-Newark, 70-54, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference semifinals in the Stockton Athletic Center.
The Scarlet Raiders (18-9) led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but the Ospreys (21-5) put together a decisive 29-9 second-half run to seize a 50-36 lead with eight minutes remaining.
The loss bumps the Raiders out of contention for their first league championship while Stockton will host second-seeded William Paterson (20-6) Friday at 7 p.m. in Galloway for the NJAC's automatic bid to the NCAA D-III Championship Tournament. The Pioneers edged sixth-seeded New Jersey City (13-14), 63-61, in the other semifinal matchup in Wayne.
Senior swingman
Christian Garcia and junior forward
David Azoroh paced the Raiders with 16 points and six rebounds apiece. Junior forward
Jordan McDaniel, who was named to the All-NJAC first team earlier in the day, was limited to just six points and five rebounds before fouling out with six minutes left in the contest. It marked only the third time this season that he did not tally double digits.
Senior guard
Doze Ikwuegbu totaled eight points while dishing off a game-high four assists for the Raiders. Senior center
Elvis Hodzic, who came off the bench for a team-high seven rebounds, and senior guard
Chris Foreman each fouled out of the contest.
With the Raiders forced to foul in the second half, the Ospreys drained 26 of 28 free throws to pull away from the visitors. Stockton made 34 of 41 free throws to out-score Rutgers-Newark by 27 points at the charity stripe.
Stockton senior forward Josh Blamon, who was named the NJAC Player of the Year earlier in the day, tallied 12 of his game-high 26 points during the decisive second-half run. He capped the spree with a 3-point jumper. He sank 17 of 19 free throws.
Freshman forward Marcus Harmon chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds for the Ospreys while junior guard Carlton Whitehead came off the bench for a dozen points and three assists.
Azoroh hit three short jumpers and Ikwuegbu had five points to fuel a 19-4 rally which staked the Raiders to a 27-13 lead with 7:18 left in the opening period. The Rutgers-Newark went ice cold from that point to the halftime buzzer to allow the Ospreys to creep back into the contest, 27-21, at the break. Stockton managed to keep things close despite hitting just six of 27 shots from the floor (22.2%) and getting just three points from Blamon in the half.
Rutgers-Newark now must wait for a possible ECAC Metro Championship Tournament bid. The 8-team bracket will be announced Monday afternoon with play beginning a week from tonight.
