TCNJ stays in NJAC title hunt

WAYNE >> The College of New Jersey men’s basketball team avoided disaster and beat William Paterson, 89-84, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon.

Nick Koch poured in 28 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the floor and 8-of10 from the free throw line as the Lions (16-6, 10-5) remained in the hunt for the regular-season title.

Matthew Okorie finished with 17 points, Matthew Solomon chipped in 15 and Jack Vreeswyk had 12 as TCNJ put four in double figures.

Neftali Valentin led the Pioneers (616, 1-14) with 28 points and Andrew Wells netted 23.

Women’s Basketball

QUINNIPIAC 65, RIDER 54 HAMDEN, CONN >> Taylor Langan scored 20 points to go over 1,000 for her college career, which also includes stops at Colgate and Millersville, but the Broncs (5-15, 2-9) lost their sixth straight game.

Anna Foley led the Bobcats (9-11, 6-5) with 18 points. WILLIAM PATERSON 63, TCNJ 59

WAYNE >> The Lions (14-8, 11-4) dropped out of first place in the NJAC after they fell to the Pioneers (8-14, 6-9).

Natalie Kolb had 11 points and a career-best 17 rebounds, but TCNJ shot 26.5% and led just once — 2-0 after it scored the opening basket of the game.

Brianna Smith netted a game-high 26 points for Paterson.

Men’s Lacrosse

RUTGERS 14, LEHIGH 12

PISCATAWAY >> Shane Knobloch and Jack Aimone had three goals each and the 14th-ranked Scarlet Knights (1-0) recovered from a slow start to edge the Mountain Hawks (0-1) on opening day.

Aimone started a 3-0 run that also included a pair of John Sidorski goals to give Rutgers an 11-8 lead. Knobloch’s tally with 34 seconds remaining secured the victory after Lehigh’s Andrew Kelly made it a 13-12 game with 3:06 remaining.