The William Paterson men’s basketball team suffered its ninth consecutive loss Saturday, falling 77-51 to Rowan at Esbjornson Gymnasium.
The Pioneers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but were quickly overtaken by an 11-2 Rowan run and struggled to regain momentum. William Paterson shot just 2-for-14 from beyond the arc and 9-for-17 from the free throw line.
Rowan carried a 32-19 advantage into halftime, and although the Pioneers cut the deficit to 11 in the second half, a layup from Profs senior guard Taz Cantey sparked a run that extended the lead to 45-32 in the final period. Rowan forced 30 turnovers, creating numerous scoring opportunities.
Cantey led the Profs with a season-high 27 points. Senior guard Brycen Williams added 12, and junior forward Khalil Baker contributed 10 before being ejected midway through the second half.
For William Paterson, senior forward Ethan Paul scored a team-high 14 points, Jack Gobel added eight, and sophomore big man Delani Hyde tallied six after a career-best performance against Montclair State on Jan. 28.
The loss officially eliminates the Pioneers from New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament contention. William Paterson started the season 4-0, including a buzzer-beater win over currently 15-6 Cairn University by sophomore wing Jack Gobel, but has gone 2-14 since that strong start.
Rowan had previously edged William Paterson by one point in mid-December. Saturday’s 77-51 victory reflects the Profs’ growth over the past ten games.
The Pioneers return home to the Sports and Recreational Center in Wayne, N.J., to face Rutgers-Newark, the team’s only NJAC win this season, at 7:30 p.m.
