CAMDEN, N.J. (Jan. 21, 2023) – Early in the second half of Saturday's New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game, Rutgers University-Camden went on a 14-point run to cut its deficit to one point against Montclair State University.
 
Unfortunately for the Scarlet Raptors, the Red Hawks countered with a 19-6 run and went on to post an 81-61 victory in the NJAC contest.
 
Montclair State, which is tied for second in the conference with Stockton University, improved to 15-3 overall and 9-2 in NJAC play. Rutgers-Camden fell to 3-15 and 1-10.
 
The Scarlet Raptors led only once in the game, when sophomore guard Kobe Devine hit a three-pointer in the first minute of the contest to give Rutgers-Camden a 3-2 lead. Montclair State scored 18 of the next 22 points to build a 20-7 lead on its way to a 33-21 halftime bulge.
 
The Red Hawks opened the second half with a three-pointer by sophomore guard Kyree Henry, making it a 36-21 game, before the Scarlet Raptors roared back. Led by eight points from Devine, the Scarlet Raptors ran off 14 straight points, cutting their deficit to 36-35 on a Devine trey.
 
Over the next 3:40, however, Montclair State nailed four treys, including two by senior forward Steve Breeman, as they ballooned their lead to 52-39. Rutgers-Camden never got within single digits the rest of the way.
 
Sophomore guard Mike Jackson led MSU with a game-high 26 points and four steals, while Breeman added 24 points and tied junior guard Kieran Flanagan for the team lead with eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Kyree Henry added 18 points. Flanagan also dished off a game-high six assists.
 
Devine shot 7-for-11 from the floor, including four treys, and went 6-for-6 from the foul line on his way to a career-high 24 points. His previous Raptor high of seven points was accomplished twice, most recently on Jan. 14 in the Raptors' win over William Paterson University.
 
Freshman forward Cameron Downs added 12 points and completed his third career double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior guard Jaymes Savage added 10 points and a team-high four assists.
 
Montclair State shot 25-for-64 (39.1) from the floor and 18-for-20 (90.0) from the foul line. The Red Hawks also went 13-for-38 (34.2) from three-point range and held a 41-36 advantage off the boards.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 22-for-56 (39.3) from the floor, including 5-for-22 (22.7) from three-point range. The Raptors went 12-for-16 (75.0) from the line.
 
The Red Hawks have won their last four games against the Scarlet Raptors and lead the all-time series, 59-11.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Wednesday when they host Stockton University in an 8 p.m. NJAC game.