EWING, N.J. (February 15, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Newark men's basketball team dropped its 2016-17 season finale Wednesday night at The College of New Jersey, falling by a final score of 68-55.
 
Rutgers-Newark ends its season with a record of 6-12 in the conference and 7-18 overall, and TCNJ improves to 18-7 overall and 13-4 in the NJAC. The Lions will be the No. 2 seed in the NJAC Championship Tournament that begins this weekend.
 
Sophomore forward Mark Thomas led Rutgers-Newark with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting, four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Freshman guard Chase Barneys had 10 points, three assists, three rebounds and three steals, and senior forward Nadir Alston had eight points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots and two assists.
 
After trading buckets early, TCNJ went on a 14-4 run to open an 18-8 lead with 9:53 remaining in the first half. Thomas tallied a second-chance opportunity to slow the momentum, and Thomas and freshman guard Troy Lopez each hit three-pointers to get within three points with 3:30 left.
 
TCNJ would take a 30-27 lead into the intermission, and the hosts were able to extend early in the third, but Newark clawed back, getting back within three (37-34) following three points the old fashioned way from freshman forward Landon Gaines.
 
The Scarlet Raiders made it a two-point game on two occasions – once following a basket from Alston with 9:59 left, and again with 8:40 on the clock thanks to a driving layup from Barneys.
 
TCNJ was able to hold off the feisty Raiders for the next few minutes before using a 13-2 run to put the game out of reach, opening a 62-47 lead with just 2:36 on the clock.
 
Thomas continued his solid performance with a hoop to put an end to the Lions' run, but TCNJ was able to coast to the win.
 
Rutgers-Newark shot 42.1 percent from the field, 3-for-14 from three and 4-for-5 at the line. TCNJ went 21-for-24 at the line and shot 37.3 percent from the field, ending the game with a 41-31 margin on the glass.
 
R-N freshman guard Mike Vick added five points, a team-high nine rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot, with Lopez notching five points, four rebounds and an assist off the bench.
 
Guard Corey Stanford led the Lions with 22 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block.