Union, N.J. (1/5/13) – Junior Michael Burton scored a team-high 13 points as the Kean University men's basketball team rallied from an eight point deficit in the second half to defeat Rutgers University-Camden, 63-61, Saturday afternoon in NJAC action.

Kean improves to 5-7 overall and 4-3 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Camden falls to 5-7 and 3-4.

The Cougars have won 11 straight games against Rutgers-Camden and lead the all-time series, 52-19.

In a tight battle, the two teams were never separated by more than eight points, while being tied on five occasions and switching leads five times. Kean's biggest lead was a 26-20 first-half edge, while Rutgers-Camden built a 43-35 margin with a 10-point run early in the second half before the Cougars responded with eight straight points to tie the game at 43-43.

With the score knotted at 50-50, Kean's Xavier Fuller scored four straight points on a jumper and a layup to give the Cougars the lead for good, 54-50. Although the Scarlet Raptors trimmed the gap to two points on a pair of occasions, the Cougars closed out their win with seven of their last nine points coming from the foul line.

Trailing, 63-58, the Scarlet Raptors cut the final gap to 63-61 on a three-pointer by sophomore Teon Russell with one second remaining. The Raptors stole the ensuing inbounds pass, but their attempt to tie the game came up barely short when a shot fell through the basket after the final buzzer.

The Scarlet Raptors had scored the last seven points of a tight first half to take a 33-30 advantage into the break, but Kean ran off the first five points of the second half to regain the lead, 35-33. Rutgers-Camden followed with a 10-point run, aided by four points from Russell, to take the biggest lead of the game at 43-35, before the Cougars countered with an eight-point run. Kean tied the game at 43-43 on a layup by Fuller, who finished second on the team behind Burton in scoring with 10 points.

Junior Kyle Latorre (pictured left) finished with eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds for the Cougars, who held a 34-29 edge off the boards.

Russell led the Scarlet Raptors, notching a career-high 26 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

Overall, the Cougars shot 21-for-48 (.438) from the field, while the Raptors were 22-for-54 (.407). Both teams committed 18 turnovers.

Both teams return to action with non-conference games Monday. Kean hosts Stevens Institute of Technology at 6 p.m. while Rutgers-Camden plays an 8 p.m. at Rosemont College.