PURCHASE, N.Y. (11/19/21) – Four starters scored in double figures as the Kean University men's basketball team starts the season at 4-0 for the first time since 2006-07 and advances to the Championship game of the A.J. Buchanan Classic with a 76-69 victory over Trinity (Conn.) College on Friday evening.  

Letrell West tallied a game-high 22 points for the Cougars who improve to 4-0 overall. Donald Jorden posted a double-double with 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Bantams who fall to 2-1 overall.

The first half saw Kean hold and surrender two different six point leads in the opening nine minutes. The Cougars took their largest lead of the half at 27-19 with a 10-3 run that included four points from Terrance Durham and three from West. The Bantams closed the half on an 18-9 run to take a 37-33 lead at the intermission.

The Cougars opened the second half on a 15-9 run that put Kean back in front at 48-45. Patrick Strzala totaled seven of his 11 second half points during the run. The Cougars never relinquished the lead for the rest of the game, but the Bantams stayed within striking distance. Kean used a 10-5 run late in the game to stretch a three-point lead at 60-57 to a ten-point lead at 70-60.

The Bantams would get some points back before the final buzzer, outscoring the Cougars 9-8 in the final three minutes.

Jailen Jamison totaled 16 points on six rebounds and five assists, while Strzala recorded 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jared Meyer finished with 11 points on four rebounds and three steals.

Head Coach David Turco and the Cougars will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 20^th in Purchase, N.Y. against the Bulldogs of Brooklyn College for the Championship game of the A.J. Buchanan Classic at 6:00 p.m.