Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (11-8, 5-7 NJAC) fought hard but came up on the short end of a 84-69 decision to The College of New Jersey (16-3, 11-1 NJAC) on Wednesday night. Kashaun Barnes (Toms River/Manchester Twp.) led the Ospreys with 27 points.
 
The Lions, who sit on top of the league standings, took control early in the game. With the score tied at 3-3, TCNJ went on an 11-3 run to take a 14-6 edge and never looked back.

TCNJ stretched the advantage to 38-25 at the half. Barnes kept the Ospreys within striking distance with nine points. Stockton struggled in the period, shooting just 8-23 (24.2%) from the field including 2-14 (14.3%) from three-point range.
 
Stockton began the second half by closing to nine points at 40-31 on the strength of four points by Barnes and a basket by Zavon Johnson (Trenton/West Windsor-Plainsboro South). The Ospreys cut the margin to nine once more at 49-40 with 12:05 left but that was as close as they would come to the Lions on the evening.
 
A 14-2 spurt by TCNJ put the score comfortably at 63-42 in favor of the visitors with 8:53 remaining and the Ospreys fell 84-69.
 
Barnes ended the evening with a game-high 27 points plus seven rebounds and four assists to top Stockton. Johnson added 11 points, all in the second half, as the only other Osprey in double figures. Jordan Taylor (East Orange/Cicely Tyson) tied his career high with seven rebounds and Steve Ferebee (Galloway/Absegami) grabbed six boards for the Ospreys.
 
Eric Murdock, Jr. topped TCNJ with 26 points, with Randall Walko registering a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Teammates Niall Carpenter and Jordan Glover tallied 11 points each for the victors.
 
Stockton will try to snap a two-game-losing skid on Saturday when the visit William Paterson for an NJAC game at 1 pm.