The Rowan Profs lost, 90-70, to the Stockton Ospreys on Wednesday night at Esbjornson Gymnasium in Glassboro. In their third straight loss, Rowan clinched a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoff spot for the ninth straight season, this time as the fifth seed.
Rowan kept things close early on, only trailing by three points at halftime. Stockton’s shooting and second-chance points were too much for the Profs to handle. The Ospreys finished with 15 three pointers and in the second half outscored Rowan 46-29.
Taz Cantey still had a good game. His day ended with 22 points on 9-for-19 shooting and 2-for-5 behind the arc. Cantey said the Profs need to improve on the defensive side of the ball if they want to walk out winners in their next playoff matchup.
“Locking in on the defensive end, coming up with rebounds, and just finishing the game — being able to hit shots,” Cantey said.
Cantey credited his consistency throughout the season to a simple mindset.
“I’d just say confidence, staying aggressive, and believing in myself,” Cantey said.
The Profs ended the season now on a three-game skid, but Cantey believes this group is still locked in.
“I’m still pretty confident in us,” Cantey said. “Sometimes things just don’t go our way. It’s little things we can fix; it’s not talent-wise. We’ve just got to lock in on the defensive end, and hopefully things take care of themselves.”
Chris McCarron, who has played against Stockton 10-plus times in his Rowan career, echoed the same sentiment.
“They had way too many second-chance points,” McCarron said. “We’ve got to keep them off the offensive glass … Every game was a war. It’s been a rivalry since before I got here.”
McCarron knows that with the postseason, there is a reset.
“The great thing about playoffs is it’s a brand-new season. Everyone’s 0-0,” McCarron said. “It really just starts with how you approach each day and getting better in practice.”
Head coach Eric Brennan was in agreement with his players. Stockton’s perimeter shooting and offensive rebounding were deciding factors in this game.
“They got 17 offensive rebounds,” Brennan said. “You’re getting the initial stop, so the defensive scheme is working. You’ve got to box out and rebound the ball.”
Brennan added that while Rowan wanted to protect the paint against Stockton’s downhill drivers, that approach allowed opportunities from the outside.
“They could have games where they hit 15 threes, and games where they hit five,” Brennan said. “But the difference tonight was second-chance points.”
The Profs now move on to the NJAC as the fifth seed. They will play New Jersey City University (NJCU) on Saturday in Jersey City. The Profs have already defeated the Gothic Knights in their home once before this season. Before Saturday, Brennan emphasized that his players take accountability for the recent skid.
“It’s a new season now,” Brennan said. “You’ve shown you’re capable of winning there. We’ve got to come in with energy, get confident, and focus on the next game.”
Rowan has to find its finest form starting with rebounding and defense in Saturday’s winner-take-all matchup.
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