WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson improved to 14-2 overall with a 72-58 victory against visiting Baruch (8-10) in non-conference men's basketball action Jan. 16 at the Rec Center.  Junior Corey Chandler (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) led all scorers with 20 points, while classmate Lance Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Paterson Catholic) had his eighth double-double of the season with 19 tallies and 10 rebounds.

The Bearcats controlled the early action, building an 18-7 advantage at the 11:38 mark.  The Pioneers began to chip away during the next six minutes, knotting the score at 20-20 thanks to a three-pointer by junior Rick DeStefano (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro) in transition with 6:01 on the clock.  The run continued thanks to baskets from Chandler and Julio Rosario (Perth Amboy, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick), capping a 17-2 spurt that handed WP a 24-20 edge with 3:25 left in the opening half.  The Pioneers scored seven of the final 11 points of the period, and entered the break with a 31-26 lead.

William Paterson stretched that advantage to six (36-30, 16:49) early in the second half, but an 11-1 Baruch run handed the Bearcats a 44-39 lead with 13:02 remaining.  Two Chandler buckets were followed by a James McLane (Belleville, N.J./Queen of Peace) layin (45-44, 11:32), but CJ Johnson-Jurewicz ignited a quick 7-2 run with his three-pointer, making it a 51-45 Baruch lead with 9:02 on the clock.

The two teams traded baskets until WP, behind by one at 53-52 at the 6:36 mark, reeled off 10 unanswered points to take control of the game at 62-53 with 1:50 remaining.

McLane scored a career-best 12 points in 16 minutes off the bench.  Sophomore Femi Agunbiade (Maplewood, N.J./Columbia) chipped in seven points and five boards for the Pioneers.  Rosario had five tallies, nine rebounds and a team-best four assists.

Chris Beauchamp scored 18 points to pace Baruch, while Rob Goldstein added 11 tallies.

WP had just four fewer turnovers (12-16) than the Bearcats, but owned a 20-5 edge in points off the miscues.

William Paterson will play at New Jersey City Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 8:00 p.m.