Montclair, NJ – Junior forward KEVIN MCGORRY scored 24 points and pulled down seven rebounds as Montclair State held off a furious Kean University rally in the final four minutes for a 72-70 victory over the Cougars on Tuesday evening.

Freshman guard LAVRONE GREEN had 15 points, two assists and two steals for the Red Hawks (3-1, 1-1 NJAC), who nearly squandered a 16-point lead in picking up its first NJAC victory of the season.

Montclair led by as many as 18 points with 6:08 to go as McGorry made the first of two free throws. The lead would sit at 62-46 with 5:33 to play before the Cougars embarked on a 24-9 run over the next four-plus minutes. Emmanuel Omowole connected twice from the line making the score 71-70 with 19 ticks to play.

ERICK LOFTEN-HARRIS was fouled with 12 seconds to play and made 1-of-2 at the line for a 72-70 lead. The Cougars would get one last chance however Lincoln Holley's jumper at the buzzer was off the mark.

McGorry scored 13 points and Green eight in the first half as MSU took a 34-26 lead at halftime. Tied at 11-11, McGorry hit two from the line to put the Red Hawks in front and a three-pointer by Green with 7:28 remaining made the score 22-14. Kean trimmed the lead to 29-26 with 1:48 left in the first half however Green hit from behind the arc and McGorry tipped in a rebound with eight seconds left giving MSU the eight-point advantage at the half.

In the second half, an Omowole free throw put the score at 41-36 before Montclair State outscored the Cougars 21-8 over the next nine minutes to build its largest lead. DEVYN RANSOM had seven points in the spurt before McGorry, who collected six points during the spurt, hit a foul shot got the 62-44 advantage with 6:08 to play.

Shaune Russell and Loften-Harris each had nine points for Montclair State, which got five rebounds from Russell and four each by Loften-Harris and JARRETT BOGUS.

The Red Hawks are back in action on Saturday, December 29 at The College of Staten Island with tipoff scheduled for 1:00 pm.