WAYNE, N.J. – Behind a career-high 26 points from junior forward Richy Espinal (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) and a double-double from senior guard Bright Mensah (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack), the William Paterson men's basketball team (8-7, 3-5 NJAC) earned an 86-83 overtime victory against visiting Rowan (6-9, 3-5 NJAC) Jan. 13.

Espinal was 12-for-20 (.600) from the field, adding three assists and eight rebounds, while Mensah notched 16 points, 10 boards and a career-best seven steals.

Senior guard Manny Hernandez (Paterson, N.J./Paramus Catholic) drained a three-pointer to push the Pioneers ahead by four (79-75, 2:50), but consecutive layups by Rowan's Kris O'Connor and Rob DePersia knotted the score at 79-79 with 1:57 left in the extra session. Espinal and DePersia exchanged buckets, followed by another Hernandez trey (84-81, 57.7). Senior forward Chris Gross put down a layup 13 seconds later to pull the Profs to within one at 84-83, but a foul put junior guard Joseph Taylor (Camden, N.J./Woodrow Wilson) on the line, and he made the first of two free throws with 34.5 seconds remaining. Mensah came away with the rebound of the miss, and another foul led to him making the second of two attempts (86-83, 22.6). DePersia rebounded his own miss on the other end of the floor, but he lost the ball and Mensah tracked it down in front of the WP bench with one second left.

Hernandez collected 16 tallies and seven boards, and Taylor contributed 13 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals.

William Paterson jumped out to a 19-9 lead less than 10 minutes into the contest, and carried a 38-32 advantage into the break. The Pioneers owned a 71-64 edge with 2:11 left in regulation before O'Connor went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and junior guard Josh Borelli drilled a three-pointer from the right corner, making it a 71-71 game with 43.5 seconds on the clock. Espinal spun in the lane and hit a six-footer in traffic with 26.3 seconds to play before DePersia drove the left side and finished (73-73, 15.3). WP had one last chance with 0.9 second left and got a clean look off an inbounds play, but junior forward Fredrik Hagbarth (Stockholm, Sweden/Kungsholmens Gymnasium) saw his shot from the right wing go off the left side of the rim as time expired.

O'Connor paced the Profs with 25 points, adding seven rebounds. DePersia finished with 12 tallies and seven assists.

William Paterson will play at The College of New Jersey Saturday, Jan. 16, at 1:00 p.m.

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