Montclair, NJ – Sophomore guard KEYON PRYCE scored five of his 10 points during a decisive 11-1 run late in the second half as Montclair State edged Rutgers-Newark, 57-56 at the Panzer Athletic Center on Friday evening.

Senior IRVING CALLENDER IV led the Red Hawks with 13 points as Montclair (4-1, 4-1 NJAC) won its second straight as it took the first game of the back-to-back, home-and-home set with the Scarlet Raiders. The two teams meet again on Saturday, February 20 in Newark, NJ at 2:00 pm.

Quincy Rutherford tallied a game-high 16 points for Rutgers-Newark (2-1, 2-1 NJAC), which suffered its first loss of the season. The Raiders were playing for the first time since February 6 after its two contests with William Paterson last weekend were canceled after the Pioneers put a pause on their program for two weeks.

In a low-scoring contest, Rutgers-Newark took a 46-43 lead as Dante Ralph connected in the paint with 4:08 to play. Callender connected twice at the line on the ensuing possession and, after a Rutgers-Newark turnover, MYLES MITCHELL-WHITE put the Red Hawks back on front 47-46 on a layup with 3:54 to go.

Ralph tied the game back up with a foul shot, however, that was matched by two from MSU's KIERAN FLANAGAN making the score 49-47. The teams would trade three-point misses before Pryce was fouled in the lane and scored extending the lead to four. He missed the free throw, but Montclair was able to gain possession as the ball went out of bounds off the Scarlet Raiders. Pryce took advantage getting another hoop-and-harm, this time sinking the foul shots for a 54-57 MSU lead with 1:50 left.

Jamir Patterson counters with one at the line and two by Rutherford with a minute left closed the gap to 54-50. Montclair's DEVIN COOPER made a free throw with 38 seconds, however, Mike Vick drained a three from the corner pulling Rutgers-Newark within 55-53 with 20 seconds remaining. Callender buried to free throws with 16 seconds, extending the lead back to four points, but again the Scarlet Raiders did not go away. Rutherford connected from behind the arc with 1.9 seconds putting the score at 57-56.

Pryce was fouled with 1.6 seconds and missed both attempts at the line. Vick collected the rebounds, however, his desperation attempt from three-quarter court failed.

Cooper and Mitchell-White each finished with 10 points for the Red Hawks with senior MALACHI SMYTHE adding nine along with a team-high eight rebounds.

Patterson had 12 for Rutgers-Newark, which trailed 31-22 at the half and held Montclair State to just nine points in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

The win was the second straight for Montclair State and fifth in the last seven meetings as the Red Hawks improved to 66-43 all-time against Rutgers-Newark.