Khalid Muhammad
Muhammad, who was also named the first New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week this season, had an exceptional debut to his collegiate basketball career, averaging 18.5 points per game while earning an All-Tournament Team selection at the Nazareth College Tournament.
Muhammad, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound newcomer majoring in Business Management, and former two-time All-Essex County standout, helped lead NJCU to a second place finish at the Nazareth Tournament, defeating 2012 NCAA Division III Tournament qualifier St. Joseph’s College (LI), 91-58 in the season opener on November 16, before falling in the title game to host Nazareth, 64-58.
For an NJCU team that returns only 10.4 percent of its scoring offense from last season, Muhammad’s contributions proved big, as he registered team scoring highs in each contest.
For the week he tallied 37 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals and shot a sizzling .542 from the field (13-24), 62.5 percent from three-point range (5-8) and 6-of-10 from the line. He played 42 minutes (21 per game).
In a season-opening, 33-point rout of St. Joseph's, Muhammad scored 18 points in his career debut, adding three rebounds and two assists while shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range in the 91-58 decision. Muhammad scored 12 in the second half (4-7, 2-2 3 FG).
In the loss to Nazareth in the finals on November 17, Muhammad bettered his previous scoring high, finishing with 19 points (7-14 FG), making 3-of-5 from three-point distance and pair of foul shots, with five rebounds and two steals.
One week into the season, Muhammad ranks seventh in NJAC in scoring average. Additionally, he lists third in three-point accuracy, tied for fifth in three-pointers made per game (2.5), and 14th in field goal percentage.
