CAMDEN, N.J. (Jan. 17, 2024) – Sophomore guard Nick Koch scored a game-high 22 points as he helped The College of New Jersey men's basketball team outlast Rutgers University-Camden, 71-65, here Wednesday night. The tight New Jersey Athletic Conference game was played as the second half of a basketball doubleheader during the school's second annual Scarlet Raptor Rally night.
 
TCNJ improved to 13-6 overall and 7-3 in the NJAC with its 19th straight win in the series against Rutgers-Camden.
 
The Scarlet Raptors fell to 9-8 overall and 4-6 in the NJAC, losing for only the second time in their last seven games.
 
The game was tight throughout, with three early lead changes and four ties in the opening half, but the Lions took the lead for good at 27-26 on a free throw with 2:31 remaining in the opening half by fifth-year guard/forward Jack Vreeswyk. The Lions expanded their lead to 34-29 at the half.
 
TCNJ eventually increased its lead to nine points (56-47 and 58-49) in the second half, but Rutgers-Camden went on a 16-8 run, capped by a trey from sophomore forward Cameron Downs, to cut its gap to 66-65 with 2:22 remaining. The Lions closed out the scoring with a jumper by freshman guard David Alexandre, a pair of free throws by Koch and a free throw by junior forward Matthew Okorie down the stretch.
 
In addition to Koch's 22 points, Okorie netted a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds for TCNJ.
 
Downs finished with 20 points for Rutgers-Camden, while junior guard Eric Benjamin netted 17 and sophomore forward Cherif Kanoute collected his second double-double as a Scarlet Raptor, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. His 11 boards tied his Raptor career high.
 
TCNJ shot 22-for-56 (39.3 percent) from the floor and 21-for-34 (61.8) from the foul line, while Rutgers-Camden was 24-for-57 (42.1) from the floor and 11-for-14 (78.6) from the line. The Lions held a 40-39 edge off the boards.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to NJAC action Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Montclair State University.