Kean Defeats Rutgers-Camden, 64-56, in NJAC Tilt

CAMDEN, N.J. (2/3/10) - Junior Jonathan Jones (Linden, N.J.) scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to record his eighth straight double-double and lead the Kean University men's basketball team to a 64-56 win over host Rutgers-Camden in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening.

Jones (pictured right) hit 7-of-13 shots from the floor to lead three Cougars (8-13, 5-5 NJAC) in double-figures.  For the Scarlet Raptors (5-15, 0-10 NJAC), senior guard Joshua Askew (Sicklerville, N.J.) had nine points.

The Cougars took an early 13-4 lead after six straight points on a pair of baskets by Jones and a lay-up by senior guard Vinnie Darpino (Colonia, N.J.).  Kean would extend the lead out to double-digits, leading by as many as 11 points (20-9) on a three-point play be senior forward Rodlin Pierre (Orange, N.J.) with just over eight minutes to go in the first half.

Rutgers-Camden would pull back within five points at 26-21 with just under two minutes remaining, before senior forward Akinwande Oshodi (Florence, N.J.) gave the Cougars the 32-24 lead at the break with a jumper to close out the first-half scoring.

Darpino led the Cougars with 10 first-half points, while Oshodi added nine and Jones had eight points in the opening stanza.  As a team, the Cougars shot 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the floor.

After Oshodi opened the scoring in the second half to push the lead back out to double-figures, seven straight points pulled Rutgers-Camden back to within three-points at 36-33 with 13:38 left in the game. 

The Cougars answered with seven straight points of their own, pushing the lead back out to 10 points on a lay-up by Oshodi (pictured left) with less than 12 minutes to go and Kean would lead by as many as 15 points (58-43) following an offensive rebound and putback by Jones with 4:01 remaining.

Rutgers-Camden cut the deficit to six points in the final minute, as sophomore Joe Bush (South Brunswick, N.J.) hit a three-pointer with 48 seconds to go, however the Cougars hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the win.

Darpino hit 7-of-12 shots from the floor en-route to scoring 16 points, while Oshodi added 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

Bush added seven points off the bench for Rutgers-Camden, while senior forward Tarik Hanton (Philadelphia, Pa.) had nine points. 

The Cougars host Rowan University in a key NJAC South Division match-up on Saturday, February 6, at 3 p.m.