MEN'S HOOPS DEFEATS N.J.I.T., 85-71 IN CACC FIRST
ROUND
3-1-05
box score
 CALDWELL,
N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team overcame a five-point
halftime deficit to beat N.J.I.T., 85-71 in the first round of the
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Tuesday evening at the
Newman Center. The third-seeded Cougars (16-13, 14-6 CACC) advance to
the semifinals to play the University of Sciences on Friday, Mar. 4 at
5:30 p.m., also in the Newman Center. The Highlanders finish their
season with a record of 11-17 (10-10 CACC).
N.J.I.T. gained the lead midway through the first half and built a 30-22
lead with an 8-1 run sparked by threes from Ian O'Boyle and Randle
DeFalco. A three-pointer by sophomore guard Jean Georges (Vauxhal,
NJ/Spotswood) and two free throws from senior guard Ron Harris
(Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central), pictured, helped pull the Cougars to
within 35-33 with one minute left in the half. But a conventional
three-point play by Marc Milbourne Swan at the buzzer sent the
Highlanders into the locker room with a 38-33 halftime lead. Clayton
Barker and Swan each tallied nine points in the first half as the
Highlanders shot 50.0 percent from the floor, compared to 36.8 percent
for Caldwell.
The second half started out the same, with N.J.I.T. holding a 45-39 lead
at the 16:15 mark. But then the Cougars heated up, scoring 12 straight
points to jump-start a 22-8 run over the next eight minutes that
included four three-pointers from junior guard Mark Kelly
(Oakhurst, NJ/Oakhurst) to take over the lead, 61-53. The Highlanders
battled back to get to within four, 67-63, with 5:09 on the clock. But a
trey and two more free throws from Harris sparked seven unanswered
points to make the score 74-63 with 3:42 left. The Highlanders would get
no closer than nine the rest of the way as Caldwell moves on in the
tournament.
The Cougars turned things around offensively and defensively in the
second half, shooting 56.0 percent from the field after the break while
allowing N.J.I.T. to make just seven baskets in 24 attempts (29.2
percent). Harris scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the second
half, while freshman forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg
Harbor) tallied 16 second-half points to finish with 23. Perez went
7-of-9 from the field and 9-of-11 from the line, while Harris made
16-of-20 from the charity stripe. Kelly finished with 15 points in the
win. Barker had 17 points for N.J.I.T. in the loss.
The semifinal round is set for Friday, with Caldwell and seventh-seeded
USP playing at 5:30 p.m., and No. 5 Felician playing No. 1 Bloomfield at
8:00 p.m. The CACC Tournament final will be played at 8:00 p.m. on
Saturday, Mar. 5. Both semifinal and final rounds will be played at the
Newman Center at Caldwell College.
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