UNION, N.J. (11/25/25) – Kareem Irby finished with 22 points as the Kean University men's basketball team defeated Stockton University, 79-71 in their New Jersey Athletic Conference opener on Tuesday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED!!!!

• Daniel Dextraze poured in nine points as the Cougars went back and forth with the Ospreys.
• The Cougars maintained their lead throughout the first half as Phil Brown Jr. and Braelen Crump combined for 11 points as the Cougars pushed their lead to the largest of the half at 38-29.
• Stockton opened the second half with an 8-4 run, cutting the Cougars lead to five.
• The Cougars responded with a 17-6 run, including seven points from Irby to push the lead to 61-45.
• Kean maintained the double-digit lead until a Scott Bittner technical foul lit a fire under the Ospreys.
• Stockton used a 21-8 run to cut the Cougars lead to 74-71 with 44 seconds remaining.
• The Cougars notched the final five points, including a three-point play from Malachi Jeffers-Viera and back-to-back free throws from Brown Jr.

INSIDE THE BOX

• Brown Jr. totaled 18 points and eight rebounds.
• Jeffers-Viera notched 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.
• Dextraze totaled 13 points and nine rebounds.

UP NEXT

• Kean hosts Ramapo on Wednesday, Dec. 3^rd.