Sports Journalism

On a night meant to celebrate Rowan’s seniors, the atmosphere inside Esby Gym was loud, emotional, and packed with energy. But despite the crowd pushing until the final buzzer, Rowan fell to Rutgers–Newark, 70–67, in a game that came down to the last possession.

Senior guard Khalif Meares put on a show in his last regular-season home appearance, dropping a game-high 29 points and keeping Rowan in it every step of the way. Every time Rutgers–Newark made a run, Meares answered with pull-up jumpers, tough finishes, and momentum-swinging threes that had the crowd on its feet.

Assistant head coach Jared Price praised Meares’s performance and leadership. “He played with heart, man. He kept us alive all night. That’s what seniors do they leave everything out there,” Price said.

The Profs trailed most of the second half but never let the game get out of reach. With under 30 seconds left, Rowan cut the deficit to one, forcing Rutgers–Newark into a pressure possession. A tough layup by the Scarlet Raiders with six seconds left sealed the game, and Rowan’s last-second three rimmed out.

Even with the loss, Rowan (12–12, 10–8 NJAC) officially clinched a spot in the NJAC Championship Tournament, giving the night a silver lining.

Fans in the building didn’t hide how much the seniors meant to them. Rowan student Joshua James said, “This group plays with so much energy. They make every game fun to watch. You could feel how bad they wanted this one.”

Another fan, Arinze Achebe, said the result didn’t take away from the moment. “Senior Day is bigger than the score. These guys earned this atmosphere they deserved to be celebrated.”

As the seniors walked off the court to a standing ovation, you could tell the emotion was real. The loss stung, but Rowan’s season isn’t over and the way Meares played suggests they’re heading into the postseason with a real chance to make noise.