Upper Montclair, NJ - Senior guard Gene Mergenthal (Sicklerville, NJ/Highland) scored a game-high 22 points and Tyrone Rucker (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) added 18 as Rutgers-Camden knocked off Montclair State, 77-70, in New Jersey Athletic Conference Men's Basketball action at Panzer Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.

The win was the first by the Scarlet Raptors (4-13, 2-5 NJAC) over the Red Hawks (9-7, 2-5 NJAC) since December 6, 1991, a span of 23 games.

Dane Nicholson (Pleasantville, NJ/Holy Spirit) added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Scarlet Raptors used a 10-0 run late in the second half to pull away to the victory. GIAN PAUL GONZALEZ (North Haledon, NJ/Manchester Regional) had 18 points and 13 rebounds for MSU, who had their two-game win streak snapped.

Rutgers-Camden, which led for most of the contest, saw an 11-point lead disappear midway through the second half as the Red Hawks went on a 15-4 run over a five-minute span to tie the game at 64-64 with 4:10 to play.

However, the Scarlet Raptors responded as Nicholson hit four straight free throws to regain the lead and Jarett Mutts (Millville, NJ/Vineland) scored on a fast-break layup to give RU-Camden a 70-64 advantage. Mutts added another layup with 2:39 left and Mergenthal made four free throws to make the score 74-64 with 1:29 to play.

James Kosior (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional) stopped the run with a three-pointer, but Mike Hopson (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) made two foul shots and Mergenthal one to ice the game and give the Scarlet Raptors their first win over Montclair since a 67-64 win in Camden in 1991.

Hopson finished with 10 points for Rutgers-Camden, which shot 41 percent from the field (25-of-60) and made nine three-pointers in the games. Mergenthal added seven rebounds and eight assists.

MICHAEL DAVIS (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) had 17 points and 12 rebounds for MSU, which also got 10 points, five rebounds and four assists from Anwar Montgomery (Scotch Plains, NJ/SP-Fanwood).