Montclair, NJ – Junior guard Jovanni Chatham had a perfect-shooting night off the bench scoring a season-high 20 points as Montclair State picked up a much-needed victory with an 83-77 triumph over Rowan University at the Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday.
Senior Brandon Channer registered a huge double-double of 26 points and 15 rebounds as the Red Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak improving to 10-9 on the year. The victory also put MSU's conference mark at 7-5 which is currently fourth in the NJAC standings. Montclair also swept the season series from the Profs (12-8), who are a half-game back at 7-6.
Chatham connected on all eight of his attempts from field, including both three-point attempts becoming the first Red Hawks to record a perfect shooting effort (min. 5 attempts) since Andrew August on January 15, 2011, ironically against Rowan.
Chatham's individual effort was part of an overall solid shooting day for the Red Hawks, who were 32-of-53 from the field (60.4 perent). MSU shot 64 percent (16-of-25) in the first half when it built a 10-point lead. Chatham had nine points while Channer and Eddie Emedoh each had eight.
MSU led 28-27 before scoring 11 of the final 13 points of the period. Justin Porter started things off with a layup and Emedoh had a dunk before Chatham's three made the score 35-27 with 1:26 left. Dorian Hodge added a layup and Emedoh's jumper with six seconds left sent Montclair in the locker room up 39-29.
That lead quickly disappeared in the second half as Rowan opened up the new period with a 17-6 run, taking a 46-45 advantage after Gary Carthan drilled a three-pointer with 16:25 remaining. Shawn Wilson's three-point play a minute later widened the lead to 49-45 before Montclair State pushed its way back into the lead thanks in part to a 15-6 run.
Chatham gave the Red Hawks the lead with a free throw and Hodge hit a three from the right corner making the score 57-53. After a Rowan basket by DaRon Curry, Chatham drilled a three for a 60-55 MSU advantage with 11:34 left.
The Red Hawks would get up by as many as nine points on several occasions, the last coming with four minutes left on a Channer layup. But the Profs wouldn't go away and pulled back within 79-76 with 1:15 on a Josh Borrelli three-pointer.
Channer and Chatham each hit free throws for an 81-76 lead with 30 ticks to go before Rowan's Rob DePersia hit once from the foul line. Vince Anfield and Porter closed out the game hitting once each in the final half minute.
Anfield finished with 10 points for Montclair State while Emedoh added eight points along with four rebounds. Hodge had seven points off the bench for MSU, which got 39 points from its reserves in the game.
Montclair State is back in action on Monday, January 30 with a snow makeup at Stockton University beginning at 8:00 pm. It will be the start of a busy week for the Red Hawks, who travel to William Paterson on Wednesday, February 1 before hosting the same Stockton team at the Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday, February 4.