Montclair, NJ – The #10 Montclair State University men's basketball team edged the University of Saint Joseph Connecticut 92-87 on Wednesday afternoon at the Panzer Athletic Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Hawks (11-0) traded baskets with the visitors over the opening two minutes before rattling off seven consecutive points, including five from CRISTIAN NICHOLSON, to take a 11-4 lead at the 15:55 mark. A few possessions later, Montclair would expand their advantage to double-digits on a long distance shot from RYAN CASSELS. The Blue Jays cut the deficit in half but were immediately met with three-pointers from KABRIEN GOSS and Nicholson to make the score 22-11 with just under 12 minutes remaining.
• Montclair maintained their lead as the half progressed, as Goss found JACOB MORALES for a layup to increase the margin to 11 at 32-21 with under seven minutes to go. Coming out of a Saint Joseph timeout, each side converted a shot for the ensuing five trips up the court, with the visitors trimming the deficit to single digits at eight shortly after. With 3:58 on the clock, Goss found Morales again, this time from long distance, to push Montclair ahead 43-32. The Red Hawks led by as many as 12 in the waning stages of the period, taking a 50-43 edge into the halftime break.
• Early in the second stanza, Goss sunk a long distance shot and Nicholson converted a pair of free throws to extend the lead to double-digits once again. The Blue Jays amassed seven of the next nine points over the next 3:13 to come within two possessions with 14:27 on the clock. Montclair provided another immediate counter, as Goss and Cassels each notched threes to vault the home side ahead by 11. Saint Joseph embarked on a 17-6 extended run that lasted six minutes to level the contest at 69 with 7:16 remaining.
• The Red Hawks responded with seven of the next nine points, capped off by a layup from Morales, to go up 76-71 with six minutes on the clock. As the sides battled down the stretch, Nicholson hit a free throw to make the score 84-80 with 2:46 remaining. Saint Joseph hit shots on back-to-back possessions to take the lead for the first time, but Morales drove to the basket to push the Red Hawks back in front as the half went under two minutes. The layup from Morales sparked a 8-2 run over the remainder of the afternoon, as the Red Hawks converted all six of their free throws to seal the hard-fought nonconference victory.

INSIDE THE RESULTS

• Goss led the way for the Red Hawks with a career-high 28 points, surpassing his previous mark by 11, which he recorded in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament last season. His six three-point makes were also a career-best, as he added six assists.
• Morales recorded his 1,000th point of his collegiate career during the contest, finishing with 26 points along with 11 boards. It marked his third double-double of the campaign and fourth of his Montclair career.
• Nicholson was the third Red Hawk in double-figures with 17 points, adding eight assists to help guide the offense. He has notched double-digit performances in seven consecutive games and finished one point shy of his career-best.
• Cassels finished with nine points, all coming on three crucial long distance shots in 13 minutes off the bench.
• Montclair shot 49 percent from the field for the afternoon, including 57 percent in the first half. It marked the seventh time this season they have surpassed 90 points offensively.
• With the victory, Montclair notched its 11th victory of the season, joining Mount Union and Wisconsin-Eau Claire as the only three teams in the nation with that total or better. The Red Hawks are one of seven remaining undefeated teams in the country.
• Montclair's start to the season set a new mark as the third-best in program history and sit one win away from the second-best total, the 2002-03 team that rattled off 12 wins to begin their campaign. 

FROM THE COURT

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UP NEXT

The Red Hawks will close out their nonconference slate against Albertus Magnus on Sunday, January 4. Tip-off from the Panzer Athletic Center is scheduled for 2:00 PM.