Men's Basketball to Take on Rowan in NJAC Tournament on Saturday

Red Hawks, Profs Meet in Conference Tourney for 2nd Straight Year

Men's Basketball | 2/16/2018 11:11:00 AM

Montclair, NJ – It's déjà vu all over again for the Montclair State men's basketball team. Nearly a year to the day after falling to Rowan in the first round of the NJAC Tournament, the Red Hawks (17-8) get a second chance on Saturday, February 17 when it hosts the Profs (13-12) at the Panzer Athletic Center.

Tipoff of the conference tournament first-round contest is set for 1:00 pm. Tickets are $5.00 for general admission, $2.00 for students, children and seniors. You can follow the game with live stats, live video and live audio courtesy of WMSC 90.3 FM.

The winner of the contest advances to the semifinals on Wednesday, February 21 at top-seeded Ramapo College.

While the game is rematch of last year's first round, the site of the contest changes as MSU will enjoy the friendly confines of the Panzer Athletic Center. It will be the first NJAC Tournament home game for the Red Hawks since 2009 and the first at Panzer since the semifinals in 2002. The Red Hawks played the 2009 game at the MSU Recreation Center while the PAC was renovated.

It will be third meeting of the season between the teams with Montclair State taking both games. JARRETT BOGUS posted a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds while MYLES MITCHELL-WHITE added 19 in a 95-78 win in Montclair on December 9. The following month, Mitchell-White scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half as the Red Hawks turned a six-point halftime deficit into an 80-68 victory in Glassboro on January 20. JOVANNI CHATHAM and Bogus had 17 points apiece in that victory.

Montclair State is making its 19^th appearance in the NJAC Tournament and its second straight marking the first time it has accomplished that feat since 2008 and 2009. The Red Hawks are 12-15 in those 19 appearance but has lost its last three, including last season at Rowan. MSU has won seven NJAC titles, the last coming in 2003 when it knocked off Ramapo 86-84 in double overtime.

Saturday's meeting will mark the sixth time that Montclair State and Rowan have met in the NJAC Tournament including a pair of memorable contests. In 1981, Montclair edged then Glassboro State 52-51 on the road to claim the conference crown. In 1994, Montclair returned to the NJAC Tournament after an eight year absence and reached the championship game where it lost to the Profs 77-62. The following season (1995) the Red Hawks pulled off one of its biggest upsets in program history shocking No. 2 ranked Rowan 63-61 in the semifinals snapping the Profs 33-game home winning streak.

Last year, the Profs put five players in double figures for an 81-69 victory in Glassboro in the first round. Rob DePersia had 17 with Nick DePersia and Shawn Wilson each netting 12. Brandon Channer recorded a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds. JORDAN ROBERSON added 10 points and 13 rebounds with Bogus netting 15 points.