Without question it was a stinging defeat as host Middlesex County College's Letrell West threw up a desperation shot at the buzzer that found its mark as RCGC fell to the Blue Colts, 77-76, in a Garden State Athletic Conference men's basketball game Tuesday night.
The loss snapped a 17-game win streak for the Roadrunners, who are now 20-3 overall and 14-2 in the GSAC. Middlesex improved to 17-4 overall and 12-4 in the GSAC, avenging an early season defeat to the Runners.
Head coach Will Wareham, whose club is No. 5 in the most recent NJCAA Division III national rankings, still sit atop the GSAC standings with seven games remaining.
DJ Henderson scored on a tap-in basket to tie the game at 61-61 heading into the final minutes of play.
With 1:10 remaining the Roadrunners clung to a 68-66 lead before the Blue Colts outscored the visitors 11-8, including the game winner, to close it out.
Earlier in the contest the Middlesex zone slowed down the high-powered Runners' offense, but point guard Tyler Lunsford scored on an offensive rebound to give RCGC a 45-40 lead.
Next up for the Runners is an away game versus Mercer County on Thursday in a 7 pm start.