UNION, N.J. (1/25/20)- A second half rally helped propel the Kean University men's basketball team to a 79-75 victory over Montclair State University on Saturday afternoon.

Jared Latane finished with 20 points for the Cougars who improve to 5-13 overall and 2-9 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Steve Breeman totaled 25 points and made seven three pointers for the Red Hawks who fall to 8-10 overall and 6-5 in the NJAC.

The Cougars opened the game on a 13-5 run, before MSU responded with a 23-13 run to cut Kean's advantage down to 26-25 with 4:25 remaining. The Cougars held the lead until the two minute mark, when Montclair State took their first lead of the game at 35-34 on a Breeman triple.  The Red Hawks would hold a 36-34 advantage at the break.

The second half saw the Red Hawks attempt to open things up with a 13-0 run that gave MSU their largest lead of the game at 61-49 with 9:38 remaining.

Kean answered with a 30-15 run to end the game, including a 15-3 run that put the Cougars back in front at 64-63 with 5:30 remaining. Latane scored 16 points during the final 9:36, which included eight points during the 15-3 run that put Kean back into the game.

Breeman's hot shooting from the outside put Montclair back in front at 70-66, but Latane tallied six points during an 8-0 run that propelled Kean back in front for good at 74-70. The Cougars iced the game from the free throw line, going 5-for-5 down the stretch.

Kendall Blount finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Jailen Jamison totaled 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. Nate Lyles added 13 points, four rebounds, and four steals, while Myles Owens tallied 10 points.   

With today's victory, Head Coach Adam Hutchinson recorded his 199^th career coaching victory.

Coach Hutchinson and the Cougars will return to action in Newark, N.J. on Wednesday, Jan. 29^th, against the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers-Newark at 8:00 p.m.