Annville, PA – Freshman guard MIKE HERN (Hamburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley) scored 14 points in his collegiate debut, however it wasn't enough as Montclair State dropped its 2006-07 season opener to Hood College, 55-53 in the Rinso Marquette Tournament at Lebanon Valley College on Friday evening.

Junior forward JONATHAN ARTHUR (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) added 11 points and set a Lebanon Valley Gymnasium record with 17 rebounds as the Red Hawks will now face either host Lebanon Valley or McDaniel in the Consolation Game on Saturday, November 18 at 1:00 pm.

Ryan Junghans had 24 points for Hood.

Hood jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first four minutes as Junghans scored the final five in a 10-point spurt. Montclair would spend the remainder of the half climbing out of the early deficit and pulled within 16-14 with 7:43 to go on a three-pointer by DONALD REID (Perth Amboy, NJ/Cardinal McCarey). Hood would push the lead back to nine inside the final 90 seconds, but a three-pointer by Dan Hennessy (Edison, NJ/Roselle Catholic)  at the halftime buzzer got the Red Hawks within 27-24.

In the second half, CHARLES MILLER (Linden, NJ/Linden) tied the game at 31-31 on a layup and after Hood went back in front, Hern scored to tie the game for the final time at 35-35 with 12:26 to go. Junghans would connect on back-to-back three pointers for Hood and Nick Scott added a layup to spark a 9-2 spurt, making the score 44-37 with just voer nine minutes left.

Montclair State would cut the lead to one on four occassions in the final seven minutes, the last coming at 49-48 with 2:04 left as Hern sank two free throws. But Junghans scored on a layup and then added two free throws with 33 seconds remaining to give Hood a 53-48 advantage. After a basket by KEN DUDLEY (Willingboro, NJ/Burlington Tech) brought the game to 53-50, Junghans closed out the game with two more foul shots with four seconds left.

Hennessy again provided the final margin with a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Jesse Gutekunst finished with 11 points and five rebounds as Hood overcame a 43-31 rebounding deficit to post the victory.

Miller collected 10 points and eight rebounds for the Red Hawks, who struggled from the field connecting on just 21-of-63 attempts, including 3-of-15 from behind the arc.