GLASSBORO, N.J. (Dec. 6, 2023) – The Rowan University men's basketball team outscored Rutgers University-Camden by 19 points in the second half to break open a tight game and ended up beating the Scarlet Raptors, 80-57, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Wednesday night.
 
Rowan improved to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the NJAC with its second straight win this season and its fifth consecutive win in the all-time series against Rutgers-Camden.
 
The Scarlet Raptors fell to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in the NJAC.
 
With Rowan clinging to a 38-36 lead early in the second half, the Profs scored the next eight points to take their first double-digit lead of the night. They outscored the Scarlet Raptors, 34-21, the rest of the way.
 
In a tight first half, the Profs took the lead in the last minute, 35-31, on a trey by senior forward Ja'Zere Noel and a jumper by junior guard Khalif Meares. Meares had 17 first-half points for Rowan, while Rutgers-Camden's balanced first-half attack was led by seven points from sophomore forward Cameron Downs. Sophomore forward Cherif Kanoute notched six points and six rebounds in the opening 20 minutes for the Scarlet Raptors.
 
Meares finished with 28 points and seven assists for the Profs, while Noel had a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Marcellus Ross also added 18 points for Rowan.
 
Downs led the Scarlet Raptors with 11 points, while Kanoute notched nine points and eight rebounds. Junior guard Eric Benjamin added eight points.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent), while Rowan went 31-for-64 (48.4). The Profs held a 41-40 edge off the boards.
 
The Scarlet Raptors play another NJAC road game Saturday with a 6 p.m. tip-off at Rutgers University-Newark.