Montclair, NJ- The #10 Montclair State Men's Basketball team seeks to close out 2025 on a strong note when they host the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Wednesday afternoon.
GAME INFO
Tip-off from the Panzer Athletic Center is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Live coverage of the game can be found at monclairstateathletics.com.
LAST TIME OUT
Montclair improved to 10-0 on the season with a 97-84 win at Maritime on December 17. The Red Hawks fell behind by five in the opening two and a half minutes, but countered with an 11-2 scoring run over the next two minutes to race out to a 14-10 advantage.
RYAN CASSELS and
KABRIEN GOSS each connected on long-distance shots to cap off the run on back-to-back possessions. Maritime battled back with six of the next nine points to climb within one, as Montclair answered with a free throw from
CHRISTIAN CEVIS and a layup from
KUNGA TSERING to make the margin 20-16 at the 11:37 mark of the period. As the half approached its midway point,
CRISTIAN NICHOLSON connected on a three-point attempt to push the lead to five for the visitors. With 7:41 remaining, Nicholson drove to the basket and converted an and-one opportunity to increase the Montclair lead to 34-27. The Privateers answered with the game's next six points, cutting the deficit to one with five minutes on the clock. Maritime would later equalize at 41 with 3:09 remaining, as
KEVIN BECK vaulted Montclair back ahead with a shot from beyond the arc. He hit another long-distance shot in the final minute to make the gap six, but Maritime closed it to three on the ensuing possession. The Privateers opened the second stanza with a 7-4 run to tie the game at 53, and after Goss hit a pull-up jumper to regain the lead for Montclair, Maritime took its first lead since the opening minutes on a three-pointer at the 16:36 mark. Goss immediately pushed Montclair back in front on the next possession with a three of his own, but the home side would battle back once again to regain the lead at 62-60 with 12:34 remaining. Over the next two minutes, the Red Hawks rattled off eight consecutive points, as Tsering and
MASON THEAR teamed up for four each. As the clock passed the halfway point of the second frame,
MYLES PRIMAS totaled five points on consecutive possessions to help amass a nine-point advantage for the visitors. The Red Hawks would go up by double-digits for the first time with a pair of free throws from
AHMAD ROBERTSON with 8:24 remaining. Montclair continued to click offensively with a 10-2 run over a two and a half minute span to build a 16-point lead with four minutes remaining. The Privateers could get as close as 10 the rest of the way, as the Red Hawks sealed the nonconference road victory by double-digits.
TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (10-0)
Points Per Game:
JACOB MORALES, 20.7
Rebounds Per Game:
JACOB MORALES, 6.1
Field goal percentage:
KUNGA TSERING, .750
Three Point Percentage:
MYLES PRIMAS, .500
Free throw Percentage:
KABRIEN GOSS, .895
Assists:
KABRIEN GOSS, 60
Steals: Two tied with 21
Blocks:
MYLES PRIMAS, 12
SAINT JOSEPH (4-3)
Points Per Game: Lence Altenor, 18.2
Rebounds Per Game: Deivone Tanksley Jr., 7.1
Field goal percentage: Adelph Cisse, .565
Three Point Percentage: Ethan McEachern, .462
Free throw Percentage: Two tied with 1.000
Assists: Frederick Feldrappe, 27
Steals: Deivone Tanksley Jr. 14
Blocks: Two Tied with 4
SCOUTING SAINT JOSEPH
The Blue Jays enter the New Year's Eve showdown with a 5-5 overall record and were victors in their last showing with a December 18 victory against Coast Guard, 83-59. Last season, Saint Joseph put together a 19-8 overall record with a 12-2 showing in the GNAC. They entered the conference tournament as the three seed and downed Rivier, 83-63, before falling in the semifinals to LaSell, 80-69. According to the GNAC 2025-26 Preseason poll, the Blue Jays are projected to place second in the conference this season.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first-ever matchup between the Red Hawks and the Blue Jays.
LAST MEETING
N/A
UP NEXT
Montclair State University kicks off 2026 at home in its final non-conference matchup of the season against Albertus Magnus on Sunday, January 4. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m.