Montclair, NJ - Sophomore guard
MYLES MITCHELL-WHITE scored 24 points as Montclair State outlasted Rutgers-Newark, 59-55 at the Panzer Athletic Center on Wednesday evening.
Senior forward
JORDAN ROBERSON finished with eight points and 11 rebounds as the Red Hawks bounced back from its first conference loss of the season to move to 9-2 on the year, 5-1 in the NJAC. Mark Thomas and Tyler Ofray had 17 points apiece for the Scarlet Raiders who dropped back to the .500 mark at 5-5, 1-5 in conference play.
Montclair jumped out to a 15-5 lead only to see that become a 20-17 deficit with nine minutes to go in the first half as Thomas drained a three. Mitchell-White would tie the contest at 25-25 and a three by Irving Callender, IV put MSU in front 28-25 with 2:41 to go before halftime. Thomas hit for Rutgers-Newark making it a one-point contest before a three-point play by
JALEN PARHAM helped MSU to a 31-27 lead at the break.
Montclair maintained it slim lead through the first portion of the second half before a Thomas three-point play gave Rutgers-Newark a 43-42 lead with 11:16 left. The lead bounced back and forth until just under four minutes when Tyler Ofray hit two from the line for a 50-47 lead. Mitchell-White responded with three-point play and his layup on the next possession gave MSU a 52-50 advantage.
Roberson added a layup for a four-point lead however Ofray drilled a three with 1:49 left cutting the MSU lead to 54-53. Rutgers-Newark missed two chances to grab the lead with a minute to go, Mitchell-White grabbing the rebound. Leading by a point, Mitchell-White misfired on a jumper with the shot clock winding down however he was able to rebound his own miss with 29 seconds. Fouled on the play he sank two at the line pushing the lead to 56-53.
Thomas was fouled and made both attempts bringing the Raiders back within a point with 17 seconds left. Mitchell-White was fouled again with 13 seconds and made hit free throws restoring the lead to 58-55. Rutgers-Newark would get a chance to tie however it would turn the ball over with four seconds to play.
AKBAR HOFFMAN made the final free throw with two seconds left.
Hoffman added nine points with Parham and Callender each netting seven along with eight and seven rebounds, respectively. Montclair outrebounded Rutgers-Newark 45-26 including 21 offensive caroms which led to 26 second-chance points.
The Red Hawks are now off until Sunday, December 30 when it faces unbeaten and No. 2 ranked Williams College in the Greyhound Classic at Moravian College beginning at 6:30 pm.
