William Paterson Men’s Basketball Defeats John Jay, 76-65

WAYNE, N.J. – Senior guard/forward Lance Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Paterson Catholic) scored 20 points and freshman guard Bright Mensah (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) tallied his second career double-double with 17 tallies and 11 rebounds to help lead the William Paterson men's basketball team  (12-6) to a 76-65 victory against visiting John Jay (11-6) Jan. 21.

WP surged out to a 12-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest, getting points from four different Pioneers during the run, and owned a 31-20 advantage with 8:51 on the clock.  The Bloodhounds pulled to with three at 33-30 with 4:34 to play, but Mensah answered with a three-pointer 40 seconds later, and William Paterson carried a 42-34 lead into the intermission.

John Jay twice was within one point during the second period, but each time the Pioneers responded with an extended run, the second time a 10-2 burst to put WP squarely in control at 72-63 with 59 seconds remaining.  William Paterson made all six of its free-throw attempts during the game's final minute to ice the victory.

The reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Rookie of the Week, freshman guard/forward Terik Bridgeman (Harlem, N.Y./Nia Prep) finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while senior guard Julio Rosario (Perth Amboy, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) had nine tallies and a career-best seven assists.  The Pioneers shot 50.0 (26-52) percent from the field while registering a .393 (22-56) opponent field-goal percentage.

Senior Isaiah Holman led John Jay with 29 points, and junior Jamar Harry had 26 tallies and eight rebounds.

William Paterson will play at Montclair State Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 6:00 p.m.

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