UNION, N.J. (2/18/26) – Malachi Jeffers-Viera finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Kean University men's basketball team defeated Rutgers-Newark, 77-65 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest on Wednesday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED!!!

• The Cougars opened on a 15-6 run behind six points from Jeffers-Viera.
• Kean extended their lead to double digits at halftime behind six points from Kareem Irby.
• The second stanza saw more of the same as Newark never got the lead below nine.
• Jeffers-Viera, Irby and Christian Garcia all posted double-figure second halfs.
• Rutgers-Newark never recovered after Head Coach Joe Loughran was ejected with 14 minutes to play after arguing a technical issued to his bench.

INSIDE THE BOX

• Irby totaled 20 points.
• Garcia finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
• Braelen Crump notched nine points, four rebounds and four assists.
• Daniel Dextraze recorded seven points and nine rebounds.

UP NEXT

• Kean will travel to Stockton in the NJAC Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday.