Newark, NJ – Junior DEVIN COOPER notched a career-high 23 points to send the Montclair State men's basketball team to a 55-46 victory over Rutgers-Newark Saturday afternoon.

The Red Hawks (5-1, 5-1 NJAC) completed the two-game sweep over the Scarlet Raiders (2-2, 2-2 NJAC) thanks to a 32-20 scoring advantage over the final 20 minutes of play. Montclair State has now won six of the last eight meetings between the two rivals, including each of the previous three games. All three victories have come by nine or fewer points.

It took nearly four minutes for either side to get on the scoreboard, and the Red Hawks went 7:56 without scoring a point. Junior MYLES MITCHELL-WHITE ended the drought with a jumper, but the Scarlet Raiders tallied 13 of the game's first 18 points to open up an eight-point advantage midway through the first period.

Mike Vick's jumper stretched the host's lead to a game-high 12 points with 7:15 to go, but the Red Hawks were able to finish the first half strong. The team ended the first half on a 9-2 spurt over the final 1:50 and entered the break down by a mere three points.

The Red Hawks continued to keep Rutgers-Newark at bay, and a layup by freshman KIERAN FLANAGAN leveled the contest at 26. Senior JOSEPH RADI pushed the Red Hawks in front briefly on a triple to give the visitors their first lead of the afternoon. Newark scored four of the next six markers to inch slightly in front midway through the second half.

Montclair State drew even on a Mitchell-White layup off a timeout, and the momentum shifted in the Red Hawks favor. The Mitchell-White layup kickstarted a game-changing 10-1 run over a three-minute stretch to change the tide. Keyon Price drained a three to extend the lead to 11, and the Scarlet Raiders were unable to get any closer than eight the rest of the way.

Cooper was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 13-of-14 from the charity stripe, while Mitchell-White tallied 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals. Defensively, IRVING CALLENDER IV snared 14 rebounds and added four points. Rutgers-Newark was paced by 14 points from Vick and 11 from Dante Ralph.

The Red Hawks wrap the regular season next Friday and Saturday when they take on New Jersey City University. Friday, the Red Hawks head to NJCU for an 8 pm matchup before hosting the Gothic Knights Saturday at 2 pm.