NEWARK, NJ – Booty Butler's jumper with :02 remaining gave Rowan a 69-67 win over Rutgers-Newark in NJAC men's basketball action and extended the Profs' winning streak to seven. Rowan improves to 19-5 and a conference-best 13-4.
In a game which saw the teams trade leads throughout the second half, Rutgers-Newark tied the game on a three-pointer by Russell Ayala with 14 seconds to go. The Profs brought the ball back down the court and Butler hit a fallaway jumper from the elbow for the game-winner.
Butler finished with 13 points in the game while Marcellus Ross tallied a team-high 19 and made four three-pointers in the low-scoring affair. Khalif Meares scored 11 for the Profs, who are one of the nation's top-scoring teams averaging close to 90 points per game.
In the final minute, Rowan held a 65-64 lead and Mikey Robinson, Jr., drew a charge as the Scarlet Raiders attempted to pull ahead. Josh Wright then gave the Profs a 67-64 lead with a pair of free throws at :30 before Ayala connected on the tying three-pointer from the right side.
Ross gave Rowan a 65-61 lead on a three-pointer at 2:24 but the home team was able to pull within one after a basket by Levi Holton and then a free throw from Kelvin Marshall at 1:16.
In the second half, there were six ties and seven lead changes. The Profs' biggest lead was six points, and Rutgers-Newark's last lead was 57-56 with 6:38 remaining.
The first half was close as well with Rowan taking its biggest lead of the game, 28-20, with 5:38 remaining.
The Profs close out the regular season on Wednesday night at Montclair State and will look to clinch the NJAC regular-season crown.