CAMDEN – Rowan University senior guard Thomas Baker (Millville, NJ/Millville), the leading scorer in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, scored a game-high 25 points to power the Profs past Rutgers University-Camden, 85-65, in a NJAC game here Wednesday night.
Baker, who was named the NJAC Player of the Week on Monday, collected 14 of his points in the first half as the Profs built a 46-30 lead and raced to their fourth straight victory. Rowan improves to 17-5 overall and 6-4 in the NJAC.
Rutgers-Camden, which has lost seven straight games, falls to 5-18 overall and 1-10 in the NJAC.
Rowan has won its last 10 games against Rutgers-Camden, including a 70-60 victory in Glassboro Jan. 10, and has captured 35 of the last 36 games in the all-time series. The Profs lead the series, 77-27.
Junior guard Matt Byrnes (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) added 17 points to move into fifth place on the Profs’ all-time list. Byrnes now has 1,407 points, passing Frank Hudson (1975-79), who had 1,396.
Senior guard Tim Bowser (Millville, NJ/Millville) added 17 points for the Profs, who shot 54.7 percent from the field (29-for-53) and held a 35-31 edge off the boards. Juni9or forward Dwayne Reevey (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven) paced the Profs with nine rebounds.
For the Scarlet Raptors, seniors Dane Nicholson (Pleasantville, NJ/Holy Spirit) and Sydney Francis (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) each had 18 points, while sophomore forward Antoine Miller (Camden, NJ/Medical Arts) added 12.
Miller also had a game-high nine rebounds for Rutgers-Camden, while Francis added eight.
Rowan sophomore guard Dan Reddan (Brick, NJ/Brick Township) had a game-high seven assists.
Rowan University returns to action Saturday when it hosts NJAC rival The College of New Jersey at 1 p.m.
Rutgers-Camden has two games remaining on its schedule. The Scarlet Raptors play an 8 p.m. NJAC game at The College of New Jersey Feb. 14, then close the season at home on Feb. 17 when they face conference foe Kean University at 3 p.m. That game will serve as Senior Day for the Scarlet Raptors’ senior duo of Nicholson and Francis.