Box Score LINCROFT, NJ - In a NJCAA Top-15 showdown, 14th ranked Brookdale Community College outlasted #9 Northampton, 79-67, on Saturday afternoon at the Robert J. Collins Center. 

Trailing by 12 at the break, 38-26, the Spartan deficit increased to 59-36 with 14 minutes remaining in the game, before Northampton rallied to cut the margin to just 11 at the 6:26 mark with 2 Michael Marable (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Twp.) free throws. 

Brookdale increased its lead back to 15 at 70-55, before the Spartans scored 4 straight points to bring the deficit back to 11, 70-59, with 4:56 remaining.  The Jersey Blues then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend their lead to 76-59 with 4 minutes to play.  Northampton then outscored Brookdale 9-3 over the final 3:43 to make the final score 79-67. 

"Credit Brookdale," remarked Head Coach Brennan McCarthy, "they outplayed us today, Coach Cisek does a great job getting his guys ready and we struggled to find our rhythm ... we never really got into a flow.  We will bet back to work on Monday and begin preparations for the postseason."

Kymir Roper (Upper Darby, PA/Upper Darby,) led the Spartans with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Amyr Fox (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin East ) added 15 points and 5 dimes, and Michael Marable (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Twp.) had 11.  

Northampton finishes the regular season with an overall record of 18-4 and a Region 19 mark of 8-3. 

Brookdale improves to 19-4 overall and 15-4 in Region 19. 

The Spartans will now wait to find out their seed for the Region 19 Tournament on Wednesday February 18th when the seeding committee releases the Division III men's and women's brackets.