Reading, Pa. (Nov. 15, 2025) - #23 Montclair State University (3-0) hit a buzzer-beater to down Alvernia University (2-2), 93-91, on Saturday evening in non-conference men's basketball action at Alvernia.

The Golden Wolves led the Red Hawks 43-35 at the half. Alvernia pushed its lead to as much as 16, 61-45, with 13 minutes to play in the second half. But, the Red Hawks chipped away and tied the game at 70-70 with seven minutes to play. The two teams traded shots, but the Red Hawks were left with the final shot of the game. Montclair State led the clock wind down and Jacob Morales hit a pull up jumper for his 32nd point of the night to give the Red Hawks the 93-91 win.

Robert Cottrell led Alvernia with a career performance, posting 40 points. That marks the most points scored by an Alvernia men's basketball player since Malik Green posted 42 in an 87-86 loss to Hood on January 14, 2023. 

How it Happened

• The Red Hawks scored a jumper on the opening possession of the game, but Alvernia answered with a Cottrell 3-pointer on its first possession of the game. The Red Hawks took back the lead, 6-5, but a Mason Jones layup gave Alvernia the 7-6 lead through two minutes of play. But, both teams then went scoreless for nearly five minutes.
• Alvernia broke the scoring drought with a 3-pointer by Janye Stanley off a Cottrell steal for the 10-6 Alvernia lead. The Golden Wolves then doubled up the Red Hawks, 12-6, following a Stanley jumper, this time off his own steal.
• The Golden Wolves pushed their lead to nine, 20-11, as the half hit its midpoint and Cottreel hit a 3-pointer. Alvernia then made it a 22-11 game on a Keon Long-Mtume layup off a Kareem Diaz steal with 9:47 to play in the opening half.
• Alvernia held at least a 10 point lead for the next four minutes, but a Red Hawks free throw and a 3-pointer got Montclair back within seven, 31-24, with 5:20 to play in the first half.
• Alvernia pushed its lead back to double-digits, 39-29, following a Jones layup and Diaz free throw with 1:32 to play in the half. But, the Red Hawks answered right back and hit two 3-pointer to make it a six point game, 41-35, with 49 seconds to play in the half. Alvernia closed out the half with a pair of made-free throws by Cottrell, and Stanley blocked a buzzer-beater attempt by the Red Hawks to take a 43-35 lead into the half.
• The Golden Wolves and Red Hawks traded layups through the first minute and a half of the second half before the Red Hawks closed within five, 47-42, on a layup and the and-one free throw. Alvernia pushed back with a pair of made free throws by Cottrell. Those free throws marked the start of eight straight points by Alvernia as the Golden Wolves took a 55-42 lead with 16 minutes to play.
• After a quick three points by the Red Hawks, Alvernia rattled off another six points to take its largest lead of the evening, 61-45, with 13 minutes to play.
• The Red Hawks began to chip away at Alvernia's lead, using a 12-2 run over the next two minutes to quickly close within six, 63-57, with 10:35 to play. 
• Alvernia slowed the Red Hawks down, getting four back on a pair of made free throws by Cottrell and a fast break layup by Stanley to make it a ten point game, 67-57 with 9:54 to play.
• The Red Hawks scored 11 of the next 14 points to close within two, 70-68, with 7:08 to play, then tied the game up at 70-70 on a layup off of an Alvernia turnover with seven minutes to go.
• Alvernia used two quick layups from Stanley and Elijah Hamilton to go back up by four, 74-70. The Golden Wolves held onto the lead for two more minutes before the Red Hawks tied the game again, this time at 78-78 with 4:26 to go.
• A Montclair 3-pointer and a layup gave the Hawks an 83-79 with 3:17 to play. Alvernia then got back within one, 83-82, on a Rasheem Dearry 3-pointer, and then retook the lead, 84-83, on a driving layup by Cottrell with two minutes to play.
• After a trading of points, Montclair took the 88-86 lead on a layup off of an Alvernia steal, and took the 91-86 lead on a 3-pointer following another Alvernia turnover with 35 seconds to play.
• The Red Hawks then fouled Cottrell beyond the arc, sending him to the line for three shots. He converted all three to bring Alvernia back within two, 91-89. Kareem Diaz then forced a Montclair turnover on the ensuing inbounds, and Cottrell converted a layup off the loose ball created by Diaz to the game at 91-91 with 21 seconds to play.
• The Red Hawks inbounded the ball and brought it up the court with the shot clock off. Jacob Morales held the ball until the final second before driving and scoring on a buzzer-beating layup to take the 93-91 win.

Inside the Box Score

• Robert Cottrell finished with a team and career high 40 points. He went 10-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Cottrell also tied the record for made free throws in a game with 16, finishing the night 16-for-17. He added five assists and five steals to his night as well.
• Janye Stanley finished with 17 points, going 6-for-15.
• Elijah Hamilton finished with a team-high ten rebounds and added eight points.
• Montclair State finished with 42 points off the bench compared to Alvernia's 13 points.

Up Next

• Alvernia is back in action on the road on Wednesday at Kean. Tip-off is set for 6:30 PM.