NEWARK, N.J. (January 25, 2017) – Freshman guard Chase Barneys scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting but the Rutgers University-Newark men's basketball team dropped a tight 68-64 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) matchup against Kean University Wednesday night in The Golden Dome.
 
Rutgers-Newark drops to 5-14 overall and 4-8 in the conference, while Kean improves to 1-11 in the NJAC and 1-18 overall. R-N will look to get back into the win column Saturday night at home against Rutgers University-Camden. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m.
 
Much like their second half comeback win at Montclair State University on Saturday, the Scarlet Raider defense keyed a great start, limiting Kean to just eight points in the game's first 14 minutes of action while building a 22-8 edge.
 
A three-point play from sophomore forward Mark Thomas got the scoring started for the hosts, and a layup from Barneys handed Newark its first double-digital advantage of the night at 14-4.
 
The lead swelled to 14 points when freshman guard Troy Lopez drilled a long ball, but the Cougars answered with seven-straight points to get within seven (22-15) with about five minutes to play in the first half.
 
Five-straight points from Barneys pushed the host lead back to 12 (29-17), and the Scarlet Raiders took a 31-17 margin into the locker room.
 
Barneys netted another three-pointer to start the second half scoring, and following a brief 6-0 run for Kean, Thomas scored in the post to slow any Cougar momentum. Moments later Thomas scored three the old-fashioned way to give his team its largest lead of the game (19).
 
Kean did not quit, fighting within 12 points after a three-pointer sophomore guard Keenan Williams Jr., but a layup from junior center Dave Lunsford and a three-ball from Barneys – his fourth of the game – pushed the lead back to 16 with 7:42 left.
 
After Barneys' three, Kean went on a big-time 13-0 run to get back within three points, with two Thomas foul shots ending the run and making it a 61-56 game in favor of Rutgers-Newark with 4:21 on the clock. Newark stopped the Cougars on the next possession, and Thomas found freshman guard Mike Vick for a big basket in the paint.
 
Sophomore forward Michael Summerer connected from distance to get Kean back within three (64-61), and after 1-of-2 at the line from sophomore guard Jodrell Thompson, senior forward Kevin Grek hit a three to give the Cougars their first lead of the game. A turnover and driving layup from Summerer then put Kean on top by three with 54 seconds remaining.
 
Rutgers-Newark could not connect on two attempts from long range on its next possession, and Kean did enough at the line in the final moments to clinch the victory.
 
The Scarlet Raiders shot 45.1 percent from the floor, 27.3 percent from distance and 12-for-19 at the line. They totaled 12 assists (19 turnovers), 37 rebounds and three blocked shots, scoring 30 points in the paint and 16 off turnovers. Kean shot 41.3 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from three and 20-for-32 at the line, canning 10 three-pointers, grabbing 27 rebounds and turning the ball over just 10 times.
 
Barneys went 9-for-16 from the field, adding three assists and three rebounds to his line, while Thomas finished with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Vick had seven points, four rebounds and three helpers, while senior forward Nadir Alston had four points and six boards. Freshman guard Ty-Lynn Johnson grabbed a team-best eight rebounds off the bench.