MONTCLAIR, N.J. – The William Paterson men's basketball team (2-6, 0-4 NJAC) suffered a 65-40 loss at Montclair State (3-4, 2-2 NJAC) Dec. 7. Senior guard Turell McClendon (Newark, N.J./Piscataway Tech) led the Pioneers with eight points.
 
Trailing by just one, 27-26, at halftime, WP scored the first basket of the second period thanks to a layup by junior guard Dapo Badmos (Toronto, Canada/The Kiski School) for a 28-27 edge with 19:24 on the clock. The Red Hawks responded with a 10-1 burst (37-29, 12:33), and when the Pioneers pulled to within two (37-35, 11:26) thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by senior forward David Mofunanya (Englewood, N.J./Dwight Morrow) and senior guard Joseph Taylor (Camden, N.J./Woodrow Wilson), MSU reeled off five straight points to make it a three-possession game at 42-35 with 9:33 to play.
 
WP got back to within three less than 80 seconds later (42-39, 8:18), but Montclair State finished the game with a 23-1 run.
 
Neither team led by more than five during a first half marked by eight lead changes and five ties.
 
McClendon notched five rebounds, and senior guard Zach Frick (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) scored seven points. Sophomore guard Anthony Uribe (Hackensack, N.J./Bergen Catholic) added five points, six boards and three assists.
 
Junior forward Rahsaan Johnson posted 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Red Hawks. Senior guard Daniel Ramis chipped in 12 tallies.
 
William Paterson will host Stockton Saturday, Dec. 10, at 1:00 p.m.
 
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