Newark, NJ - Sophomore forward GIAN PAUL GONZALEZ (North Haledon, NJ/Manchester Regional HS) poured in a season-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Montclair State took advantage of an ice-cold first half by Rutgers-Newark for a 71-60 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in The Golden Dome.

Gonzalez had a dozen points in the first half as the Red Hawks constructed a 29-16 lead thanks to a 7-minute gap in field goal production by the Scarlet Raiders. Senior guard Donald Parrish (Newark, NJ/St. Patrick's), who finished with 12 points and seven assists, converted a conventional 3-point play at 10:29 to cut the MSU lead to 12-10. Exactly seven minutes later, freshman forward Jermont Horton (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) nailed a 3-point jumper to make it 21-11. Rutgers-Newark hit just one of 10 3-point shots in the first half, connecting on just six of 21 field goal attempts overall.

During the cold spell, Gonzalez hit a jumper and a 3-point shot in the middle of a 9-1 run. Then he wrapped a layup and two free throws around a 3-point jumper by sophomore guard Anwar Montgomery (Scotch Plains, N/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) to push the lead to 29-14 with 42 seconds left in the period. The Raiders got no closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Junior guard LAMONT NEWELL (Lodi, NJ/Dwight Morrow) added 14 points, six assists and six rebounds for MSU (10-7, NJAC 3-5) which also got 11 points from Montgomery.

Horton poured in 25 points to lead Rutgers-Newark (10-8, NJAC 3-5) while junior guard Manny Rios (Newark, NJ/North 13th Street) contributed 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Head men's basketball coach Ted Fiore captured his 250th career coaching victory following today's victory. Now in his 15th season of coaching, the win over the Scarlet Raiders improved his overall career record to 250-164 and his MSU career record to 99-54.