TCNJ Defeats Men's Hoops in Regular Season Finale

EWING, N.J. (2/18/09) - Junior guard Dean Hughes (Pemberton Twp., N.J.) scored a team-high 13 points, however the Kean University men's basketball team dropped a 71-54 decision to host The College of New Jersey in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening. 

In both teams' regular season finale, the Lions clinched the second seed for the NJAC South Division and earned a first-round home game, while the Cougars claim the third seed in the NJAC South.

For the Lions, junior guard Jay Frank (Brick, N.J.) had a game-high 16 points and three assists to lead four players in double figures. 

TCNJ opened the game with a 19-5 run and extended the lead to 28-9 with less than five minutes to go in the half, before the Cougars scored seven straight points to pull within 31-16 at halftime.

Hughes (pictured right) led the Cougars with seven first-half points, while junior Aaron Syversten (Midland Park, N.J.) paced the Lions with nine points.

After the Lions pushed the lead out to 20 points at 41-21 early in the second half, Kean scored nine unanswered points to pull within 45-35 with 10:47 to go in the game.  That would be as close as the Cougars would get, as the Lions responded with six straight points and would extend the lead back out to 19 points to clinch the second seed and a first-round home game.

For the Cougars, sophomore forward Akinwande Oshodi (Florence, N.J.) finished with 10 points, while junior Vinnie Darpino (Colonia, N.J.) had seven points, six rebounds and three assists. 

In the victory, senior Jeff Molinelli (Pennington, N.J.) had 13 points, while Syversten finished with 12 points.  Junior Steve Feinberg (Middletown, N.J.) added 10 points and sophomore Steven Siracusa (New Providence, N.J.) had a game-high 10 rebounds. 

The Cougars travel to NJAC North Division second-seed William Paterson University on Saturday, February 21, for a first-round match-up.