UNION, N.J. (1/24/26) – Malachi Jeffers-Viera totaled 21 points as the Kean University men's basketball team dropped their third straight New Jersey Athletic Conference contest to the College of New Jersey Lions, 81-77 on Saturday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED!!!

• The Cougars and Lions traded buckets until the first called timeout.
• The Lions held an early 8-3 lead, before Kean went on a 10-4 run for a 13-10 advantage.
• TCNJ answered with a 15-6 run that included three triples for a 25-18 advantage.
• Jeffers-Viera and Phil Brown Jr. combined for nine points during a 14-6 run that saw Kean take a 32-31 lead.
• The Lions pushed their lead back to 37-32, before the Cougars scored the final five points including Jeffers-Viera knocking down a triple at the buzzer.
• Jeffers-Viera added nine points during a back and forth opening seven minutes to start the second half as Kean trailed 51-49.
• TCNJ would extend their lead to double digits at 64-53 behind a 13-6 run that saw seven points from Nick Koch.
• After the Lions pushed their lead to 70-61 with four minutes to play, Dextraze, Brown Jr and Deaundre Clarke combined 14 points as the Cougars cut the deficit to 78-75.
• A Koch jumper and a Jonathan Okocha free-throw would prove to be the difference in the final result.

INSIDE THE BOX

• Brown Jr. totaled 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
• Clarke notched 15 points and seven rebounds.
• Dextraze posted 12 points and four rebounds.
• Christian Garcia recorded eight rebounds and four points.

UP NEXT

• Kean travels to Ramapo on Wednesday.