Ramapo College six-game winning streak snapped in 84-78 defeat at TCNJ

(Photo by Sunil Sunder Raj)

You could feel the electricity and charged playoff atmosphere inside Packer Hall on the campus of The College of New Jersey Saturday. Fans on both sides were making their voices heard loud and clear and game did not disappoint featuring physical plays, personal fouls and post-game skirmish involving both players and coaches.

Just as they did in their first match-up back in January, the Ramapo College Roadrunners and TCNJ easily put points on the scoreboard but the Lions were sizzling from beyond the arc in the second half. They knocked down six of their 13 three-pointers as the Roadrunners (20-2, 13-2 NJAC) watched their six-game winning streak halt and their lead in the NJAC conference sliced down to one game over the Lions.

Junior forward Christopher Moseley finished with a game high 14 points while junior forward Thomas Bonacum netted 13 and junior guard Josh Ford contributed 12.

“We let up 52 points in the second half and I thought the difference in the game is not defending and missing 11 free throws,” Head Coach Chuck McBreen said. “You lose by six and miss 11 free throws. We shot 17 for 28 and that’s not going to beat anybody. We won the turnover battle by seven but only turnover points by two and that was an area we had to win today.”

Coming out of the locker room after halftime, Ramapo held a 33-32 advantage and extended the margin to 45-40 with 15:33 left on a transition layup by senior guard Cory Soanes (nine points). However, TCNJ erased the deficit, tying it up at 51-51 with 12 minutes remaining on a trifecta by senior guard Eric Klacik (14 points). Klacik continued his torrid shooting, draining another three giving the Lions a 56-53 lead and first since 3:23 left in the first half.

The Roadrunners were unable to contain the duo of freshman forward Ryan Jensen and junior forward Elisa Bermudez combining for 30 points and doing their damage in the paint and from the free throw line. Junior guard Eric Murdock Jr. (18 points) sank a three-pointer with 4:46 making it 70-65 and junior guard Kevin Johnson boosted the lead to 9 points with less than four minutes remaining.

“Murdock is the best point guard in the league,” said McBreen. “After the start of the game we were really bad and then really came on and got stops in the last 12 to 14 minutes in the first half. We were very good defensively but the last 20 minutes couldn’t guard.”

“A lesson for our guys is to work hard every day because everybody else is working hard and nobody cares what the front of our shirt says and all they want to see is that bulls eye on the back and see 20-1 and seventh in the country and everybody bringing the A game. The last few games have been close and these teams’ are bringing their best. It’s not that we were playing well before 20-1 but establishing our resume and now everyone wants to pick us off.”

Ramapo returns to action on Wednesday night at the Bradley Center against Rutgers-Camden with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. Back on January 4, the Roadrunners had to rally in the second half outscoring the Scarlet Raptors 53-25 for a 94-86 victory.

“We have a big week ahead and have to find a three game winning streak and secure the one seed so we make everyone come through our home court,” McBreen explained. “Again it comes back to the cliché of one game at a time and get through Wednesday and then focus on when Saturday comes and where we are at that point and focus on next one.”