Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Feb. 3, 2018) – Midway through the second half, the Rutgers University-Camden men's basketball team faced a 19-point deficit and long odds to climb back into its New Jersey Athletic Conference game against Kean University.
 
Not only did the Scarlet Raptors surge back into the game, but they almost pulled off a monumental comeback before falling to the Cougars, 66-63, here Saturday afternoon.
 
Rutgers-Camden falls to 3-18 overall and 1-14 in the conference with its seventh straight loss. Kean improves to 6-16 overall and 4-11 in the NJAC, snapping its own seven-game losing streak. The Cougars lead the all-time series, 58-24.
 
Kean junior forward Micah Kerr (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) had a career-high 31 points for the Cougars, and when he hit a foul shot with 11:56 remaining in regulation, it gave his team a 52-33 lead.
 
Over the next five minutes, Rutgers-Camden went on a 15-2 run, slicing that deficit down to six points. The run was led by the sharp-shooting senior guard Charlie Riccardi (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Joseph-Hammonton), who had three treys in that span on his way to 18 points on the day. He finished his day shooting 6-for-9 from three-point range, missing by two from tying the program's single-game mark for treys.
 
Kean regrouped to hike its lead back to 11 points, 65-54, with 2:59 remaining on a layup by Kerr, before Rutgers-Camden rattled off the next nine points. Senior guard Vincent Anfield Jr. (Mount Holly, Rancocas Valley) and Riccardi both hit a three-pointer in that run and suddenly, with 36 seconds remaining, the Cougars' lead was down to 65-63.
 
Kean tacked on a clutch foul shot by sophomore guard Stephen Strom (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) with 10 seconds left. A final Raptor shot missed in the last few seconds and was rebounded by Kerr as time expired.
 
Kerr shot 12-for-17 from the field and 7-for-7 from the line during his big game, while adding eight rebounds. Freshman guard Adrian Baucum (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) had a game-high 11 boards, helping Kean hold a 40-28 advantage off the glass. Baucum also added nine points. Junior guard Keenan Williams Jr. (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) collected a game-high six steals for the Cougars, while adding eight points, and sophomore guard Jeff Cooper (Easton, PA/Wilson Area) also scored eight.
 
Anfield finished with 20 points for the Raptors, while Riccardi, pictured above, added 18 and freshman guard John Herndon (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic Prep) canned 11.
 
Senior guard Marcus Taylor (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling), playing in his 90th career game at Rutgers-Camden to become only the 14th player to reach that total, added team-high totals of eight rebounds, five steals and three assists. He also scored four points, giving himself an even 700 for his career.
 
Kean shot 25-for-57 (43.9 percent) from the field and Rutgers-Camden was 23-for-54 (42.6).
 
Rutgers-Camden will play its final home game Wednesday night at 8 p.m. when it hosts NJAC foe Ramapo College. Prior to the game, the Scarlet Raptors will celebrate Senior Night, honoring Anfield, Riccardi and Taylor.