Newark, NJ – Chadd Barnes scored 16 points with James Johnson adding 14 as Rutgers-Newark defeated Montclair State, 76-55 at the Golden Dome on Wednesday evening.

Guard TOM BONARD led MSU with 17 points while freshman guard JAMES WILLIAMS totaled 11. The Red Hawks loss dropped Montclair to 12-9 overall, 5-4 in conference play.

Bonard scored 12 in the first half as MSU trailed for the entire half until the closing seconds. Two free throws by Jams Johnson put the hosts up 26-20 with 4:27 left before the Red Hawks closed out the half with a 13-5 run. Bonard sank a three and Williams a layup making the score 27-25 before CARLOS PENA tied the game with 1:38 left.

Barnes tipped in a miss to put Rutgers-Newark back on top, however Bonard answered with a three with 55 ticks remaining giving the Red Hawks their first lead, 30-29. Johnson countered with a three of his own but Bonard came up clutch again hitting from behind the arc with six seconds sending Montclair into the locker room with a 33-32 advantage.

Bonard hit a jumper five minutes into the second half giving Montclair State a 42-38 lead, but Rutgers-Newark exploded with a 17-point run to take control. Barnes had six straight, including a three-point play to give the Scarlet Raiders the lead, 44-42. Phil Valdez drained a three-pointer for a nine-point advantage with Johnson capping it off as Rutgers-Newark led 55-42 with 11:14 left.

Pena had eight points and five rebounds with RYAN WASHINGTON totaling the same along with a pair of blocks.

Montclair State returns to action on Saturday, January 9 as it heads to Glassboro, NJ for an NJAC matchup with Rowan.