Union, NJ – Senior forwards STEVEN BREEMAN and IRVING CALLENDER IV had 26 and 23 points, respectively however, Montclair State couldn't climb out of a first-half deficit and fell to Kean 105-94 in the NJAC opener for both teams on Wednesday evening.

Latrell west had 26 points and eight rebounds for Kean, which remained unbeaten on the year at 6-0 (1-0 NJAC). Jailen Jamison had 17 points with Nate Lyles and Kendall Blount each adding 12 for the Cougars. Kean had six players score in double figures.

Breeman added eight rebounds with Callender totaling seven. DEVIN COOPER contributed seven points, seven assists and two steals for MSU. GREG ECK and NJAC Rookie of the Week KYREE HENRY put up six points apiece.

Kean, which never trailed in the contest, jumped out to a 10-7 lead early after Patrick Strzala scored on a jumper with 16:25 left. That bucket started what would be a 24-5 run over the next eight minutes ending with a West free throw making the score 32-12 with 8:44 remaining. The Cougars' lead would get as big as 49-25 with four minutes to go before the Red Hawks were able to whittled that down to within nine on a KALLEEM LAMBERT layup for a 52-43 Kean advantage.

The Cougars would take a 54-44 lead into the locker room.

MSU would get within 57-52 early in the second as Cooper scored five straight, including a three-pointer with 17:51 left. The Red Hawks still trailed by five points Kean used a 19-7 run to build a 76-59 lead. Jared Meyer had the final field goal in that spurt.

Trailing 93-69 with 7:35 to go, the Red Hawks would make one last charge, out-scoring the Cougars 25-12 but that run took up nearly all of the remaining time.           

Montclair State is next scheduled to be in action on Wednesday, December 1 hosting Ramapo College at the Panzer Athletic Center. Tip-off of the NJAC contest is scheduled for 8:00 pm.