WESTFIELD, Mass. - Junior Cameron Gallon (York, Pa.) netted a team-high 18 points while graduate student Jaheim Young (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior Alfonso Stokes (Bloomfield, Conn.) chipped in with 17 apiece but the Western Connecticut State University men's basketball team fell in its season opener to Ramapo College, 87-74, at Westfield State University's Woodward Center on Friday night. Sophomore guard Jaysean Morgan (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) added 12 points for the Wolves.

Five Roadrunners pierced double figures in scoring. Anthony Corbo led the way with a double-double and game-highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds. Justin Bladen contributed 17 points on the strength of four shots from beyond-the-arc. 

Ramapo shot a scorching 55.6 percent (30-of-54) from the field which included 13-of-23 three-pointers, while WestConn shot 41.7 percent (25-of-60) and connected on just 9-of-24 of their shots from three-point range. The Wolves applied tremendous defensive pressure, racking up 16 steals - four courtesy of Morgan - but it wasn't enough to overcome the red-hot shooting from the Roadrunners.

The first half was tightly contested and WestConn led by as many as seven when Young sank a pair of free throws midway thru the period. However, Ramapo reeled off a 16-5 run to capture a 42-38 advantage at halftime. 

The lead changed hands several times to begin the second stanza. The Wolves would pull ahead by five with 9:03 remaining when junior guard Jeremiah Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a jumper to make it 64-59. But the Roadrunners caught fire in the waning minutes as they ripped another staggering run. This time a 20-2 flurry put the game out of reach for WestConn. Bladen buried a trio of trifectas during the run.

The Wolves will look to recover on Day Two of the Rick Martin/Hampton Inn Classic when they meet William Paterson tomorrow at 2 p.m.