Union, NJ -  Kean University's Bryan Keller scored a career-high 29 points and tied a school record with nine three pointers to lead the Cougars to a commanding 87-66 victory over Montclair State University in NJAC men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Cougars pick up their fourth straight victory and improved to 13-12 overall and finish 9-9 in conference play, while the Red Hawks finish the year with an identical 13-12 and 9-9 NJAC record.

The loss eliminated MSU's hopes of getting into the NJAC Tournament. Montclair finished tied with Kean and Ramapo, however, the Red Hawks were eliminated on the three-way tiebreaker (record against tied teams). Montclair State will now hope to be one of the eight teams selected to the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament. Bids will be announced on Monday, February 27.

GIAN PAUL GONZALEZ  led the Red Hawks with 24 points. Gonzalez, who played perhaps his final game in an MSU uniform, finished with 622 points this season the second-highest single-season total in history as he became the first MSU player to top 600 points in a season since Bob Gleason in 1965. Gonzalez also has 1,394 points, which ranks him fifth on the all-time Montclair State scoring list.

Kean jumped out a 41-30 halftime lead behind 23 points by Keller; including a new school record seven three's in a half. Keller was 7-of-8 from long range in the stanza,

In the second half, Kean started with a 9-2 run to open up a 50-32 lead and eventually built a 29-point lead in cruising to the 87-66 victory. Overall in the game the Cougars dominated in the paint outscoring Montclair 40-18, while also outscoring the Red Hawks 10-4 on the fast break.

On senior day for Kean, Armet Coles, Jr.  scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds, BJ Hamby  poured in 13 points and had seven boards, while Danny Del Valle added a career-high 12 assists in their final regular season game .

For the Red Hawks, Gonzalez finished with 24 points, while JONATHAN ARTHUR  was the only other player in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds.