UNION, N.J. (Jan. 11, 2025) – The Kean University men's basketball team scored the first eight points of its New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday and led all the way, en route to a 95-78 victory over Rutgers University-Camden.
 
The Cougars evened their record at 7-7 overall and improved to 5-2 in the conference. Rutgers-Camden fell to 5-8 overall and 0-7 in NJAC play.
 
The Cougars lead the all-time series, 64-29, although the Scarlet Raptors won both games against Kean last year.
 
By halftime, the Cougars held a 49-37 lead, behind 12 points from senior guard Justin Morton and 10 from senior guard D.J. Alicea. The Scarlet Raptors were led by 12 points from junior guard Jordan Trusty-Smith and 11 from junior guard Eric Benjamin.
 
Alicea and Morton tied for game-high honors with 22 points apiece, while Alicea added a game-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Adam Silas added 16 points and seven assists. Graduate student guard Alex Turco notched 10 points and six assists for Kean.
 
Trusty-Smith led Rutgers-Camden with 19 points, tying his career high set against Cabrini on Nov. 9, 2022, and set a new career high with his game-high eight assists. Junior forward Cameron Downs scored 17 points, junior forward Cherif Kanoute netted 12 points and Benjamin finished with 11.
 
Kean shot 32-for-58 (55.2 percent) from the floor and 25-for-28 (89.3) from the line, while Rutgers-Camden went 27-for-57 (47.4) and 17-for-21 (81.0), respectively. The Cougars held a 35-22 advantage off the boards.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Wednesday when it hosts New Jersey City University in a 5 p.m. NJAC game.