Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball Named Kean Team of the Month

The Kean University Men's Basketball team has been selected as December's Team of the Month. In seven games the Cougars compiled a 5-2 overall record, including their best start known in the Kean archives at 5-0.

The Cougars opened up the month with their biggest win of the season as they came from behind to defeat previously unbeaten Ramapo College, 97-87. Junior Lamar Wright scored a career high 32 points, including 20 in the final six minutes of action. Senior Bryan Keller recorded 15 points, four assists and four steals. After shooting 35.5% in the first half, the Cougars revived themselves and almost doubled their production by shooting 61.8% in the final 20 minutes. The Cougars slowly chipped away and finally broke through with just over six minutes in the game. Trailing by seven, Wright began his surge and pulled the Cougars within three on two consecutive layups. After Ramapo completed one-of-two at the free throw line to put them ahead by four, Wright drilled a three-pointer at 4:43 to pull Kean within one, 79-78. Bryan Miller gave the Cougars their first lead of the game just 17 seconds later with a jumper in the paint. The Roadrunners then hit their own jumper to put them ahead for the final time at 3:48. Wright put Kean ahead for good with another jumper eight seconds later. He then tacked on 10 more points over the final three and a half minutes to seal the victory for Kean.

Keller scored a game-high 21 points, as Kean escaped with a 72-69 victory over host The College of New Jersey in their second NJAC contest of the month. Up 41-22 at the half, the Cougars 50.0% from the floor (13-of-26) in the second-half to hold off the late game rally by TCNJ. A three-point shot to force overtime by TCNJ as time expired banged off the rim and preserved the Cougar victory. Miller added 15 points, while senior guard Anthony Virgil added 12 points off the bench.

Wright and William Floyd each tallied a team-high 12 points as Kean dropped their first game of the season by a final score of 67-59 to host New Jersey City University. Wright also collected six rebounds for the Cougars while Keller recorded a team-high seven rebounds to go along with seven points.

Keller led five players in double-figures, scoring a team-high 19 points, as the Cougars defeated host Moravian College, 96-91, in non-conference action on December 11th. In the victory, Keller added eight rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Cougars, while Wright had 12 points, three rebounds and three assists. Virgil had 11 points, three assists and three steals and senior guard/forward Brett Wyatt contributed nine points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

Sophomore forward Elijah Evelyn recorded his first career double-double with career-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds, as Kean defeated New York City College of Technology, 85-79, in non-conference action on December 13th.
Evelyn made his first eight attempts from the floor, including both three-pointers, as he finished the night 8-of-10 from the field in 18 minutes of action off the bench. Keller added 13 points and four assists, while seniors Steve Koenigstein and Wright each added nine points.

Keller knocked down a pair of free throws with one second left in overtime to lift Kean to a 74-73 victory over host Ithaca College in non-conference men's basketball action on December 15th.

Trailing 73-70 following a pair of free throws by Ithaca with 27 seconds left, Wright hit a layup with 15 seconds left in overtime to cut the deficit to one. Keller made a steal and was fouled with just one second left, and the senior converted both free throw attempts to give the Cougars the one-point victory. Wright finished with a double-double, as he had 16 points and 10 rebounds to go along with five assists and four steals. Keller added 15 points and two steals, while junior Will Floyd added nine points off the bench.

The Cougars closed out the month on December 19th on the road at Wilkes University. Keller scored 19 points, however Kean fell, 83-73. He also hit five three-pointers for the Cougars while Wright and Koenigstein each finished with nine points in the loss.