MONTCLAIR, N.J. – William Paterson (10-2, 2-1 NJAC) had two chances to score the game winner during the waning seconds, but Montclair State (12-3, 2-1 NJAC) was able to survive for an 80-79 overtime victory in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) men's basketball action Jan. 4.

Junior guard Corey Chandler's (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) jumper was off the mark during the final four seconds of the contest, and a tie-up on the rebound gave WP the ball with 1.3 seconds left.  After the Pioneers used their final timeout, freshman James McLane (Belleville, N.J./Queen of Peace) lobbed the inbounds pass to Chandler in the middle of the lane, but his shot from close range hit the back of the rim and rolled off sideways as time expired.

William Paterson trailed by eight at halftime (37-29), but a 10-2 run allowed the Pioneers to knot the score at 39-39 just 2:59 into the second half.  The two teams battled back and forth until an 8-0 Red Hawk spurt handed MSU a 68-62 advantage with 1:58 left.  Two free throws and steal and layup from Chandler made it a 68-66 score 15 seconds later, and junior Lance Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Paterson Catholic) forced a 68-68 tie with his pair of free throws with 55 seconds to play.

Montclair State made four of six free-throw attempts during the next 38 seconds, pulling ahead by four at 72-68.  Junior Julio Rosario (Perth Amboy, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) rebounded Dwight Bostic's miss from the stripe, and Chandler drilled a three-pointer to pull WP within one (72-71, 0:15).  Bostic was again sent to the line, missing the first and making the second (73-71, 0:07), but Chandler was fouled as he drove the lane, forcing overtime with a pair of successful free throws with 2.7 seconds on the clock.

Bostic and sophomore Femi Agunbiade (Maplewood, N.J./Columbia) traded 2-for-2 trips to the line during the opening 1:06 of overtime, and after Ordel Goldson made one of two from the stripe (76-75, 2:56), Chandler handed the Pioneers a 77-76 lead with a 15-footer on the baseline at the 2:46 mark.  Andrew August nudged MSU ahead with two free throws (78-77, 2:02), and Ken Rubenstein made it an 80-77 score with two more from the charity stripe with 1:27 remaining.

Senior Nolan Hill (Edgewater, N.J./Bergen Catholic) put back a Rosario miss, getting William Paterson within one an 80-79 with 1:04 on the clock.  The Red Hawks were whistled for a backcourt 10-second violation during the ensuing possession, but Rosario gave the ball back with a turnover with 33.4 seconds remaining.  Brendan Holland stepped on the sideline with 18.2 seconds left as Montclair State tried to break WP's press, giving the Pioneers a final chance to pull ahead.

Brown, who was assessed his fifth foul 2:04 into overtime, led all players with 23 points.  He added nine rebounds and three blocked shots, while Chandler posted 20 tallies, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals.  Rosario collected 13 points, and freshman Jaques Conceicao (Massama-Lisboa, Portugal/Francais Charle Lepierre) had 10 tallies.

August paced MSU with 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Brian Flores collected 19 tallies and Bostic had 12.

The most significant difference between the two teams came at the free-throw line, where the Red Hawks made more shots (27-40, .675) than the Pioneers attempted (15-26, .577).

William Paterson will host Richard Stockton Saturday, Jan. 7, at 1:00 p.m.