Ewing, NJ – Junior guard ERICK LOFTEN-HARRIS matched his career high with 27 points but it couldn't prevent Montclair State from dropping its third straight as the Red Hawks suffered a 93-76 loss at The College of New Jersey on Monday evening.

Junior BRANDON CHANNER had 17 points and seven rebounds for MSU (9-11, 5-8 NJAC).

Erick Murdock, Jr. finished with 21 points for the Lions (12-8, 7-6 NJAC), which put six players in double figures as TCNJ earned a split of the season series with Montclair State avenging an 83-63 loss in Montclair back in November.

TCNJ grabbed a quick 8-2 lead in the first half when Eric Klacik drained a three-pointer with 16:04 to play. SHAUN RUSSELL's three-pointer three minutes later pulled MSU within 12-8 however Murdock answered with a bucket from behind the arc pushing the lead back to seven points.

A layup by Channer and basket by JORDAN ROBERSON with 11 minutes left knotted the game at 15-15 however Kevin Bloodgood buried a three on the next possession to but the Lions back in front. Russell answered that with a three of his own forging an 18-18 deadlock but Nick Alaimo drove in for a layup to start an 8-2 run that gave the home team a 26-20 advantage with 7:52 to play.

MSU would get within a point twice, the last coming at 34-33 with 5:18 left on a Loften-Harris layup. But TCNJ closed out the half with a 12-2 run capped off by Alaimo's three-pointer with 14 seconds sending the hosts into halftime with a 46-35 advantage.

In the second half, Montclair would get within six points twice however each time the Lions had an answer. JARRETT BOGUS' layup with 13:40 remaining made the score 57-51 but TCNJ scored 11 of the next 13 points, including nine in a row to widen the lead to 68-53.

Russell added 13 points for Montclair while Bogus totaled 11 points along with seven rebounds.

MSU will look to snap its three-game skid on Wednesday, February 3 when it faces local and NJAC rival William Paterson in Wayne, NJ at 8:00 pm.