News Release

Montclair, NJ — Sophomore forward Scott Findlay (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) posted a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds as The College of New Jersey picked up a key New Jersey Athletic Conference Blue Division victory with a 65-61 win over Montclair State in NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball action at Panzer Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.

Junior guard Mike Snyder (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) added 18 points for the Lions (13-8, 4-6 NJAC), who have now won three straight and swept the season series with the Red Hawks (13-8, 4-6 NJAC). TCNJ recorded a 73-63 triumph in Ewing on January 14. The win also give New Jersey the tiebreaker with MSU should the teams finished tied in the standings. Both teams along with William Paterson are tied for the final two spots from the Blue Division as the top three teams in each division advance to the NJAC Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, February 24.

Sophomore forward Gian Paul Gonzalez (North Haledon, NJ/Manchester Regional) had 25 points and seven rebounds for the Red Hawks, who saw their season-high five-game winning streak snapped.

Montclair State led 33-30 at halftime, but the Lions opened the second half with a 10-2 run to take a 40-35 lead at the 16:16 mark. After Gonzalez hit two free throws, Derick Grant (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) scored six straight points to put TCNJ in front and Derek Brown (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) added a layup to make the score 38-35. Grant then added a layup to give New Jersey the five-point lead.

The Red Hawks would forge a 45-45 tie with 12:50 left as Gonzalez hit two more free throws, but Snyder sank a jumper and added another at 11:32 left to put the Lions ahead for good. A jumper by Gonzalez got MSU within two, however, Findlay scored six consecutive points to quickly restore the TCNJ lead to 57-49 with 7:57 to play. Lamont Newell (Lodi, NJ/Dwight Murrow) hit a three-pointer for Montclair to cut the lead to 61-59t, but Grant drained a jumper from the left side and the Red Hawks missed two consecutive chances to tie the game with under two minutes left. Snyder added two free throws with nine seconds left to seal the game for TCNJ.

Grant finished with 14 points and five rebounds for New Jersey, which shot 45 percent in the game (29-of-64), but committed only five turnovers in the contest.

Newell finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Michael Davis (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) added a double-double with 10 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots.