Camden, NJ – The Montclair State men's basketball team overcame a 14 point halftime deficit en route to a 75-72 triumph over Rutgers University-Camden in New Jersey Athletic Conference play Wednesday.

Senior JALEN PARHAM scored a team-high 17 points to lead the Red Hawks (11-14, 9-9 NJAC) while Arian Azemi paced the Scarlet Raptors (7-18, 4-14 NJAC) with a game-high 27 points. Montclair did their part to stay alive in the NJAC playoff race, but a New Jersey City University win over Ramapo College kept the Red Hawks out of the NJAC Tournament.

Montclair dug themselves an early hole, falling behind 19-3 after a triple from Azemi 5:11 into the game. The lead hovered around double-digits for most of the opening period before IRVING CALLENDER IV capped off a 6-0 run with 4:21 left to trim the deficit down to four at 31-27. Rutgers-Camden closed out the opening on a 17-7 run, with Azemi hitting a three with six seconds left in the half to open up a 48-34 halftime advantage.

Issac Destin stretched the Scarlet Raptor lead to 16 before the visitors embarked on a 17-0 spurt over the next four minutes and change to take their first lead since 1-0. Junior JOSEPH RADI had six points during the run, which was finished with a pair of EDDIE EMEDOH free-throws. The Red Hawks went nearly three minutes without scoring, allowing the hosts to take a 59-57 lead on a Destin layup.

Trailing by a point with 2:38 left, Radi gave MSU a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way, hitting a three off a pass from Nahirny. The Red Hawk defense got a stop before Parham converted a layup to make it a two-possession game. Azemi brought the affair back to a one-possession game, but Nahirny drilled a three with 1:17 left to bring MSU in front 73-68.

Destin sunk two more from the charity stripe before TIM ALGENIO hit a layup to once again push the game to five. Rutgers Camden got to within three and forced a turnover, giving them one chance to level the game at 75. Azemi missed a pair of game-tying three-pointers, and Callender grabbed the defensive board on the second to provide MSU with the win.

Radi chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds, while Nahirny had 14. Algenio collected a team-high four steals, with Emedoh posting six rebounds off the bench. Destin had a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds in the setback.