Glassboro, NJ – Stockton University (9-12, 7-7 NJAC) produced its highest point total of the season but could not withstand an onslaught of 63-percent shooting by Rowan University (16-5, 10-4) in the second half of a 100-95 setback. The Ospreys led by 20 with 4:56 left in the first half before the Profs heated up.
Steve Ferebee (Galloway/Absegami) tied his career high with 21 points to lead five Stockton players in double figures.
Brandon Hamilton (Camden/Paulsboro) scored 19 markers followed by freshman
Kyion Flanders (Wildwood/Wildwood), who went 6-6 at the line and tossed in a career-high 18 points.
Keenan Williams Jr. (Paulsboro/Paulsboro) contributed 13 points followed by
Tariq Baker (Brooklyn, NY/St. Anthony's) with 11 counters. Baker and Ferebee paced the Ospreys with seven rebounds apiece. Ferebee was 3-5 from three-point range as well.
Ferebee and Baker scored six points apiece while Flanders added five during a 25-10 run that gave the Ospreys a 30-16 lead. After a Rowan three-pointer, Stockton used a 12-3 outburst to take its biggest lead of the game at 42-22 with 4:56 left in the first half. Hamilton keyed the spurt with five points.
The Profs halted Stockton's momentum with a timeout and then outscored the Ospreys 18-5 the rest of the half to trim the lead to seven, 47-40, at the break. Hamilton paced Stockton with 12 points followed by Baker with 10. The Ospreys shot 6-13 (46.2%) from three-point range in the half.
Ferebee scored eight points in the first 1:18 of the second stanza as Stockton upped the lead back to 12 at 55-43. The advantage still was seven after a three-pointer by Williams Jr. with 12:50 remaining, but Rowan scored 10 of the next 12 points to go on top 69-68. The blitz continued for the next three minutes as the Profs extended to 78-69.
Flanders netted five points and Hamilton added two as Stockton rallied to within 80-76 with 6:15 to go. The comeback try fizzled there as Rowan took control for good with an 11-3 run that made it 91-79 at the 3:23 mark. The Ospreys could not make another run and fell 100-95.
Overall, Stockton scored 48 points in the second half but just could not keep pace as Rowan went a torrid 22-35 (62.9%) from the floor, including 9-15 (60%) from beyond the arc, and put up 60 points in the half.
Stockton returns home to host conference leader New Jersey City on Saturday at 1 pm.
