Union, N.J. (2/8/20) – Myles Owens was one of four players in double-figures for the Kean University men's basketball team as they edged William Paterson University, 81-79 on Saturday evening.

Owens finished with a team-high 19 points while shooting an efficient 71% as Kean improved to 6-16 overall and 3-12 in league action.  William Paterson's Anthony Uribe had a game-high 23 points as the Pioneers fall to 9-13 this winter and 5-10 in the NJAC.

The win was number 200 for head coach Adam Hutchinson in his career.

Owens scored the game's first points with a trey, but the lead was short lived as WP held a slim advantage for most of the first half.  It was Owens again with a three-pointer who tied things at 25-all and teammate Jailen Jamison gave the Cougars their first lead since the opening tip with 7:48 to go.  The Pioneers battled back and pushed their advantage out to as many as seven twice in the dwindling minutes of the first half before taking a 44-40 lead into the break.

William Paterson continued to hold on to their slim lead until halfway in the final period as Lazaro Borrell found space behind the arc to knot the game at 57-57.  The teams would see-saw from here in the final 10 minutes, trading leads with little runs.  Trailing by three (74-71), Owens took advantage of a shooting foul for three points from the charity stripe to tie the game one last time, 74-74.  A jumper from Uribe gave WP their last lead of the day before another trey from Owens gave Kean the lead for good.  Down two with 24 seconds to go, the Pioneers had two opportunities with a missed layup and a desperation three as time expired. 

Jamison registered 17 points and five rebounds while Nate Lyles and Jared Latane finished with 13 and 10 respectively. 

Nasir Fields recorded a double-double 12 points and 12 rebounds in the loss.

Kean returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to Stockton University.