Box Score Mahwah, NJ – Senior
EDDIE EMEDOH posted a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Montclair State men's basketball team held off a second rally to knock off Ramapo College 80-76 Wednesday evening.
The victory was the first for Montclair State (4-2, 2-0 New Jersey Athletic Conference) at Ramapo (3-3, 0-2 NJAC) since February 15, 2012, when Andrew August hit a three with .01 left as the Red Hawks picked up a 75-73 win.
An Emedoh layup closed out an 8-3 spurt to open the contest, forcing the host Roadrunners into a timeout. The hosts embarked on a 14-0 run to take a nine-point lead, with the rally stopped by a triple from
STEVE BREEMAN. After trading free throws,
JOSEPH RADI notched four straight markers to push MSU back in front.
With 2:32 left in the opening half, senior
JUSTIN PORTER canned a three to give the Red Hawks an 11 point lead. The 11 point gap was the halftime margin, as
DEAIREUS BROWN hit a free-throw with 29 seconds left to close out the first-half scoring. Montclair was aided by hot shooting, going 18-of-36 from the field, including a blistering 12-of-19 from inside the arc.
The Roadrunners opened the second stanza with eight of the first 11 points, trimming the deficit to six with 17:31 left. The lead grew back to 11 as
NATE NAHIRNY hit from deep near the midway point of the period. A 17-6 rally from Ramapo, closed out with a Rob McWilliams jumper, leveled the game at 69 with just 4:30 left.
Nahirny kick-started a momentum-swinging 7-0 run with five straight tallies before a steal and layup from
AKBAR HOFFMAN capped off the spurt. Ramapo got as close as three, but Hoffman answered back with a trey to keep the Roadrunners at bay. The Roadrunners finished the game off with three free throws but were unable to get any closer.
Porter added eight points and 10 rebounds, with Hoffman chipping in 10 points. Montclair connected on 11 three-pointers and received 28 points from their bench unit. Connor Romano tallied 24 points for Ramapo, as the Roadrunners put four players in double figures.
The Red Hawks will have their long-awaited home opener on Saturday, hosting Kean University at 1:00 pm. Montclair won both games last season, including an 82-59 triumph inside Panzer Athletic Center on January 28.
