UNION, NJ – Marcellus Ross scored a season-high 27 points, hitting six three-pointers, and Josh Wright hit a late three-pointer, to lead #25 Rowan to a 95-88 win at Kean to remain unbeaten in conference play at 15-0. Rowan improves to 19-3 on the season and extends its winning streak to 11 games.
Rowan held a slim 90-88 lead with 1:03 to play, and Kean couldn't convert on its next possession. But the Profs did, as Wright connected on a three with :19 left to give his team a 93-88 lead and Ja'Zere Noel sealed it with a pair of free throws at :10.
Ross connected on 6-of-11 threes in the game, while making 7-of-13 from the field and hitting all seven free throw attempts. Josh Wright converted 6-of-7 field goals for 17 points while D'Andre Vilmar was also on target, making 5-of-6 shots for 11 points. Andrew Seager had 15 points and eight rebounds and Noel scored 14 points in the win.
In a tight game that featured 15 lead changes and 12 ties, Kean opened the second half with four quick points to take its biggest lead, 51-45. Ross answered with back-to-back three-pointers to force a 51-51 tie and from there, Rowan would outscore the Cougars and regain the lead, 62-57, at 12:44.
Tied again at 72-72 with 7:54 to play, a dunk by Vilmar and a pair of free throws from Wright pushed Rowan ahead, 76-72. But the teams kept trading leads, and Kean was up by 84-82 with 3:55 to play. The combo of a jumper from Wright and three from Noel pushed Rowan up 87-84, but four straight points from the Cougars put them ahead, 88-87.
Three straight free throws by Seager in the next minute gave Rowan the lead for good, as Wright's three-pointer added the insurance in the win that saw Rowan connect on 60.7 percent from the floor in the second half.
At the start, Rowan built up a quick 12-3 lead, for its biggest margin of the game, but Kean took a 22-20 edge midway through the half. The teams traded leads throughout, but Kean held a 47-45 lead at halftime on a layup by Ethan Stith at the buzzer.
Kean opened the second half with four quick points to take their biggest lead of the game, 51-45. Ross answered with back-to-back three-pointers to force a 51-51 tie and from there, Rowan would outscore the Cougars and regain the lead, 62-57, at 12:44.
Rowan is back on the road on Wednesday for its second meeting of the year with NJCU.