Video Highlights

WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson men's basketball team (12-10, 7-8 NJAC) picked up a key conference victory, 84-80, against visiting Rutgers-Newark (8-13, 4-11 NJAC) Feb. 3. Senior guard George Sapp (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) led six Pioneers in double figures with 16 points.
 
WP remains in a three-way tie for fifth place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) standings with three regular-season games remaining. The top six teams will qualify for the NJAC Tournament that begins Saturday, Feb. 17.
 
The Pioneers used a 28-10 run to pull ahead by 16 (38-22, 5:21) before carrying a 47-35 edge into the break. The Scarlet Raiders fought back for their first lead since the 14:23 mark of the first half, using a Mark Thomas jumper for a 54-53 edge with 13:38 remaining in the contest. Three lead changes and a pair of ties marked the next six minutes, with neither team leading by more than four during that span, before freshman guard Domenic Mignone (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford)'s seven points sparked a 9-0 WP burst (72-65, 6:46).
 
William Paterson kept it a two-possession game until Rutgers-Newark senior guard Erick Loften-Harris made one of two free throws for an 80-77 score with 1:59 left. Mignone converted a layup 29 seconds later, but Scarlet Raider sophomore guard Chase Barneys knocked down a three-pointer at the 1:15 mark (82-80). A pair of misses led to a foul and two made free throws by WP senior guard Dapo Badmos (Toronto, Canada/The Kiski School) (84-80, 0:21), and Rutgers-Newark missed twice from beyond the arc to end the game.
 
Badmos scored 15 points, while Mignone contributed 12 from off the bench. Senior forward Richy Espinal (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) and sophomore forward Sean Smith (Moraga, Calif./Campolindo) each posted 11 tallies, freshman forward Nasir Fields (Winslow Twp., N.J./Winslow Twp.) added 10 points, and sophomore forward Henry Voorhees (South Orange, N.J./Columbia) pulled down a game-best 11 rebounds.
 
Barneys led Rutgers-Newark with 27 points, while Thomas chipped in 18 tallies and five rebounds.
 
William Paterson will travel to second-place The College of New Jersey Wednesday, Feb. 7, for an 8:00 p.m. meeting.
 
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