Galloway, NJ – The Montclair State men's basketball team fell back to the .500 mark on Monday as the Red Hawks fell to Stockton, 71-67 at the Stockton Sports Center.

Junior guard JOVANNI CHATHAM scored 16 points and added six rebounds and four assists for MSU, which is now 10-10 on the year, 7-6 in the NJAC. Montclair is currently tied for fourth place in the conference standings, a game ahead of William Paterson.

Montclair State will face William Paterson on Wednesday, February 1 in Wayne, NJ before returning home to host Stockton on Saturday, February 4 at 3:00 pm.

Chatham and JARRETT BOGUS each scored 11 points in the first half helping the Red Hawks take a 38-35 lead at the break. Stockton scored the first six points of the game and led by as many as eight before Montclair battled back and took the lead at 26-25 as Chatham drained a three-pointer with 7:18 to play.

The advantage would get t 38-31 with 81 seconds to go before halftime as Chatham connected twice from the line but four straight points by the Opsreys to close out the period left the Red Hawks with a three-point lead.

In the second half, the teams would trade the lead back and forth, the last coming with three minutes left. JUSTIN PORTER hit a jumper with 3:02 left putting MSU in front 62-61. Tom Catanoso buried a three on the other end vaulting Stockton into the lead and a layup by Darius Jerkins made the score 66-62 with 1:54 to go.

BRANDON CHANNER countered with a pair of free throws before another layup by Jerkins gave the Ospreys (10-9, 5-8 NJAC) a 68-64 lead with 45 seconds. Channer came up with a three-point play six seconds later pulling Montclair within a point. Catanoso hit one at the line for a 69-67 advantage with 13 seconds left.

Steve Ferebee then came up with a block on a game-tying attempt by the Red Hawks with seven seconds to play. Catanoso got the rebound and was fouled. He made both attempts at the line to seal the win for Stockton.

DANIEL RAMIS had 12 points for MSU while JARRETT BOGUS added 11 along with four rebounds. Channer finished with eight points and eight rebounds while Porter tallied seven points.