NEWARK, N.J. (November 28, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark men's basketball team used a balanced attack to pull away from visiting Kean University in the first half before cruising to a 77-61 win in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action in The Golden Dome tonight.

The Scarlet Raiders improve to 4-1 (1-1 NJAC) while the Cougars fall to 1-5 (0-2 NJAC).

Rutgers-Newark was led by junior Chase Barneys who scored 15 points and went a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Senior Tyler Ofray joined him in double-figures with 13 points and added a team-best six assists. Sophomore Mike Vick also contributed 13 points on an efficient 5-of-7 night from the field while also swatting a squad-high three shots. Senior Mark Isiofia-Thomas had 10 points, four assists, and a team-best eight boards while sophomore Quincy Rutherford rounded out the double-digit scorers with another 10 points.

R-N returns to action this Saturday when the team heads to NJAC foe TCNJ for a 3 p.m. tip-off.

The first half saw seven lead changes and four deadlocks early as the league rivals battled for control of the game. The lead switched hands for the last time with 12:36 to play before the break. The Cougars had earned a slim 14-13 advantage, but Rutherford responded with a corner 3-pointer on a feed from rookie Xavier Townes to make it 16-14.

Kean would come within one point on four different occasions, but Rutgers-Newark would not concede its advantage.

The Scarlet Raiders rattled off a game-defining 15-2 run, including 13 consecutive points, to close the stanza and head into the locker rooms ahead 41-27. Vick started the surge with a lay-in and a pair of freebies while five more players got in on the action as the hosts took a commanding lead.

R-N carried that momentum into the second half, opening the period on fire with seven straight points including five more by Vick as the Raiders created a 21-point margin.

Still, the Cougars would fight back. The visitors went on a 9-2 spurt that cut their deficit back down to 14 and led to a Raiders timeout.

Rutgers-Newark came out of that break with a designed play that led to a big trifecta from Barneys, shutting down Kean's rally for the time being.

The Cougars would pull back within 14 at the 15:13 mark, however the Scarlet Raiders had a 19-point lead with 11:51 to play following a basket from freshman Jamir Patterson off an assist by Isiofia-Thomas.

R-N would retain a double-figure lead for the entire second half as the home squad coasted to a 77-61 victory.