NJAC Release | Complete Schedule

PITMAN, N.J. (November 15, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Newark men's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference according to a poll of the league's 10 head coaches released Wednesday morning.
 
Defending regular-season and tournament champion Ramapo College was picked to finish first, Stockton University was second and New Jersey City University was third. Rowan University slotted fourth, one spot ahead of the Scarlet Raiders, and rounding out the rest of the ledger was The College of New Jersey (sixth), Montclair State University (seventh), William Paterson University (eighth), Rutgers University-Camden (ninth) and Kean University (10th).
 
The Scarlet Raiders – the conference's dark horse – will look to get back to the NJAC Tournament after missing out on the postseason last year. R-N returns most of what was a young roster in 2016-17, and will welcome back all-conference performer Mark Thomas for his third season in the Brick City.
 
The 61st season of NJAC men's basketball tips off for many teams Wednesday night when five programs are in non-league action. Rutgers-Newark begins its season in the Northwest, playing George Fox University (Newburg, Ore.) and Lewis & Clark College (Portland, Ore.) Friday and Saturday. Friday's showdown begins at 11 p.m. (EST)/8 p.m. (PST) and Saturday starts at 8 p.m. (EST)/5 p.m. (PST). NJAC play begins shortly upon the team's return home as R-N will host NJCU in The Golden Dome Tuesday night.
 
The top six finishers in the conference standings will qualify for the 2017-18 NJAC Championship Tournament. First round tournament games will take place on Saturday, February 17, with the third-seeded team hosting the sixth-seeded team, and the fourth-seeded team hosting the fifth-seeded team. The top two seeds will each receive first round byes.
 
The NJAC Tournament Semifinals will be hosted by the top two seeds on Wednesday, February 21. The two semifinal winners will advance to the 2017-18 NJAC Championship Game on Saturday, February 24, to be contested at the site of the highest remaining seed.
 
The NJAC Tournament Champion receives the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.

Fans can expect a full season preview Thursday at www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com, and they should also follow @ScarletRaiders on twitter for the latest all season long.