MAHWAH, N.J. (Jan. 25, 2025) – The Ramapo College men's basketball team roared back from a 10-point deficit in the final 4:19 here Saturday as it defeated Rutgers University-Camden, 73-68, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game.
 
The loss snapped the Scarlet Raptors' two-game winning streak, dropping Rutgers-Camden to 7-10 overall and 2-9 in the NJAC. Ramapo, which was locked in a four-way tie for the conference lead entering the day, improved to 14-4 overall and 8-3 in the NJAC.
 
After several lead changes and ties, Ramapo established a 34-27 lead at halftime. The Roadrunners scored the final seven points of the half – the first five by senior guard Peter Gorman – after Rutgers-Camden had tied the game at 27-27 on a jumper by junior guard Eric Benjamin.
 
Rutgers-Camden came out strong to start the second half, sparked by a three-point field goal from senior forward Jordany Pierre to spring a 15-7 run. The Scarlet Raptors took the lead, 42-41, on a layup by Benjamin with 14:13 remaining. After a pair of lead changes, Rutgers-Camden built a 63-53 lead with 4:13 remaining after junior forward Cameron Downs hit a pair of foul shots.
 
Over the next two minutes, Ramapo sliced its deficit to 65-62, aided by back-to-back treys from Gorman. Moments later, senior forward Shane Rooney's jumper made it a 65-64 game and the Roadrunners took the lead for good, 67-65, on a trey by senior guard Justin Bladen with 1:15 remaining.
 
Rutgers-Camden cut the gap to 67-66 on a foul shot by Pierre, but two foul shots apiece by Bladen and junior forward Tim Linton padded the Ramapo lead to 71-66. Rutgers-Camden sliced the gap with 13 seconds remaining to 71-68 on a jumper by graduate guard Jevon Gordon, but the Roadrunners' Gorman closed out the game with a pair of foul shots.
 
Gorman led Ramapo with 21 points, while Rooney had 14 points and completed a double-double with 11 rebounds. Senior center Jordan Myers collected 10 points. Linton had six points, eight rebounds and game highs of five assists and two blocked shots.
 
Downs paced the Raptors with 22 points and barely missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds. He shot a perfect 10-for-10 from the foul line.
 
Benjamin had 17 points and a game-high four steals, while junior guard Jordan Trusty-Smith added 12. Pierre finished with eight points, seven rebounds and tied Benjamin with a team-high three assists.
 
Rutgers-Camden shot 21-for-51 (41.2 percent) from the floor, while Ramapo went 22-for-53 (41.5). The Scarlet Raptors were 19-for-21 (90.5) from the line and the Roadrunners were 22-for-29 (75.9).
 
Ramapo held a 37-28 advantage off the boards.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Rowan University in an 8 p.m. NJAC game.