Box Score

Wm. Paterson WP 15-13,7-9 NJAC

Rutgers-Newark RUN 20-9,13-5 NJAC

Wm. Paterson WP

15-13,7-9 NJAC

Final

Mar. 06, 2022

Rutgers-Newark RUN

20-9,13-5 NJAC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Wm. Paterson WP	34	19	53
Rutgers-Newark RUN	21	35	56

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 3/6/2022 4:31:00 PM | Rutgers-Newark Athletic Communications

The Scarlet Raiders Men's Basketball Team Was Crowned ECAC Champs for the First Time Since 1996!

NEWARK, NJ | For the first time since 1996 the Rutgers University-Newark men's basketball team was crowned the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) champions! The championship is the first for head coach Joe Loughran, who, in 2018-19 and 2019-20, made it to the final but found themselves on the wrong side of the final score. That all changed this afternoon when the Scarlet Raiders bounced back from a slow start in the first half to overcome a 13-point deficit to earn the second ECAC championship in school history, 56-53.

Rutgers-Newark (20-9) was led by Quincy Rutherford who scored 20 points but it was Abe Kromah who hit the go-ahead basket with 16 seconds left which ultimately gave the Scarlet Raiders the win. Both Rutherford and Kromah were so important to the team's run they earned Co-MVP for the tournament. Also finding his way onto the All-Tournament team was Dante Ralph who finished with four points and 11 rebounds. Jamir Patterson finished with 11 points on 50% shooting from the floor.

William Paterson (15-13) was held to just 19 points in the second half after scoring 34 in the first. Caesar Silvestro paced the Pioneers with 8 points while Michael Gilmore added 7.

With the tenseness of the championship looming, both teams came out of the gate tight as after seven minutes of play the score was 6-6. The Pioneers were the first to settle in as they used an 11-0 run that lasted two minutes to take a 21-10 lead. Patterson cut their deficit down to seven with a jumper, however, the Pioneers went back on the offensive and took a 13-point deficit into the half.

The Scarlet Raiders came out in the second half determined to fight for each other and their head coach and they did just that. Rutgers-Newark chipped away at the lead and held William Paterson to 35% shooting in the second half which allowed them to tie the game up at 41 with 7:12 to go. With the lead in hand, the Scarlet Raiders extended it to 9 before William Paterson went on a 10-0 run. The run put the Pioneers in the driver's seat, 53-52 with 1:07 to go.

Rutherford knotted the game up after going 1-for-2 from the charity stripe. After a turnover on the offensive end for William Paterson, Kromah brought the ball up and waited for his opportunity. When he found his window he attacked and bounced it off of the glass to put the Scarlet Raiders in front. The Pioneers had one chance to tie or take the lead, however, the smothering defense by the Scarlet Raiders force another turnover which ultimately sealed the win.

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