Montclair, NJ – The #14 Montclair State University men's basketball team took down Rowan 100-86 in its 2025-26 New Jersey Athletic Conference opener on Tuesday night at the Panzer Athletic Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (5-0, 1-0 NJAC) traded baskets with Rowan early, as back-to-back three-point makes from KABRIEN GOSS and MASON THEAR pushed the score to 8-4 after the opening three-plus minutes. Rowan answered with the next five to gain a slim one-point lead as the two sides battled to a level 13-13 score with 13:36 on the clock. Montclair countered with a 10-2 scoring run over the next two minutes, including a pair of three-point makes from RYAN CASSELS, to vault in front 23-15 with under 12 on the clock.
• After Rowan came to within five as the half approached its halfway point, the Red Hawks exploded for 13 of the next 15 points to surge out to a 16-point advantage with 6:23 remaining, capped off by a long distance shot from Goss. The Profs trimmed the margin to 13 two minutes later and would later get to 40-28 with 3:16 on the clock. CRISTIAN NICHOLSON connected on a shot from beyond the arc on the next possession to counter, with JACOB MORALES knocking in a three of his own to increase the lead to 16 with just over two minutes on the clock. The Profs tallied four of the final six points of the period to cut the deficit to 15 at halftime.
• The two sides battled to an even 12 points each over the first five minutes before CHRISTIAN CEVIS converted a layup to push the Red Hawks in front by 17. Shortly after, Thear found Cassels for another long distance basket to make the score 65-48 with 14:37 on the clock. Back-to-back buckets from the Profs cut into the deficit before Morales hit another three coming out of a timeout to provide the counter along with a Cassels layup. 
• Montclair continued to add to their advantage, embarking on a 16-7 scoring run over four minutes. Led by five points from Nicholson and Morales each, the Red Hawks vaulted ahead by 24 and forced a Rowan timeout on a three from AHMAD ROBERTSON with 8:16 remaining. The visitors climbed back to within 16 with just under three minutes remaining and would later call a timeout with 2:12 on the clock with the score 98-82. Montclair would close the contest out shortly after for their first conference victory of the campaign.

INSIDE THE RESULTS

• The Red Hawks put five in double-figures, led by Morales with a game-high 24 points to go along with seven boards and four assists, hitting nine shots from the field and six from beyond the arc. The senior has surpassed 20 points in four consecutive contests.
• Goss tallied his fourth double-digit performance of the season with 15 points, leading the way with seven assists. Cassels poured in a season-best 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in 12 minutes off the bench.
• Primas recorded a season-high 11 points, with Nicholson scoring his first double-digit performance of his career with 10 to go along with six assists.
• The Red Hawks shot 47 percent from the field for the night, including a blistering 55 percent in the second half. They converted 45 percent of their long distance shots, knocking down 18.
• Montclair recorded 52 points in the second half, marking their fifth consecutive game to open the season in which they had a half of 50 or more points. The Red Hawks are averaging 89.8 points per game this season, with their 100 against Rowan marking their highest in a game since January 29, 2025 against William Paterson.
• The five-straight victories to open the season are the most for Montclair since the 2022-23 campaign, where they rattled off 10 in a row to start.

FROM THE COURT

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UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will continue NJAC play on Wednesday, December 3, against William Paterson. Tip-off from the Panzer Athletic Center is scheduled for 7:00 PM.