UNION, N.J. — The Rutgers-Newark men's basketball team closed out the 2025–26 season Wednesday night, falling to Kean University, 77–65, in NJAC action.

Kean steadily built its advantage in the first half, reaching double figures midway through the opening period. The Cougars controlled the tempo and dominated the paint, while Rutgers-Newark worked to find rhythm offensively. A late three-pointer by Kean just before the buzzer sent the Scarlet Raiders into halftime trailing 37–23.

The second half was far more competitive, with Rutgers-Newark responding with improved energy and execution on the offensive end. The Scarlet Raiders actually outscored Kean 42–40 over the final 20 minutes, but were unable to string together enough defensive stops to fully erase the early deficit.

Ayden Brown led the way with a double-double, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds to anchor the Scarlet Raiders' effort. Eli'sha Brown filled up the stat sheet with eight points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks and three steals, impacting the game in multiple areas. 

The Scarlet Raiders close the season 5-20 and 2-16 in the NJAC. 

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