New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Sophomore forward Monique Sampson (Bronx, NY/Cathedral) gave Lehman College only its second lead of the second half with a jumper with 44 seconds remaining, and scored nine of the final 11 points for the Lightning, as Lehman rallied for a 57-55 come-from-behind victory over New Jersey City University in a non-conference game on Wednesday at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

 

Lehman improves to 4-5 overall with the victory and evens the all-time series between the clubs at 2-2. After opening the season with a 2-2 record, NJCU (2-7), drops its fifth straight game, to teams with a combined record of 27-9.

 

The loss spoiled a tremendous shooting effort by NJCU senior point guard LATRESE McNAIR (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) who scored a game-high 20 points on 7-of-10, including 6-of-7 from three-point range. The six triples are a single-game career high, surpassing her previous best of three on four occasions. McNair added five steals, and now with 395 career swipes, she climbed into a tie for 19^th place in Division III history. She had 14 points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting and 4-of-5 triples.

 

Lehman had three players in double figures, led by sophomore forward Sally Nnamani (New York, NY/Warwick Valley) with 17 points (8-23 FG, 1-5 3FG), nine points, and three steals in 40 minutes. Sampson had 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, adding six boards and two blocks, while sophomore forward Anna Cannon (Beacon, NY/Beacon) had 13 of her 15 points in the first half. She shot 6-of-9 and added seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Tiara Carroll (Bronx, NY/Msgr. Scanlan) finished with eight points and six assists.

 

Also for NJCU, sophomore center KELLY WILSON (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson County Prep) tallied her second double-double of the season with 13 points (6-11 FG) and a game-high 10 rebounds, adding four assists. Freshman guard JASMINE GADSDEN (Orange, NJ/Orange) had eight points on 4-of-8 shooting, while sophomore forward TRISHA SANON (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson County Prep) contributed eight caroms and six points.

 

Junior forward TIFFANY BOYD (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) was averaging 4.6 blocks per game but did not play with an injury. Lehman took advantage with a 42-24 margin in points in the paint.

 

NJCU trailed 14-11 with 12:54 remaining in the first half before unleashing a 13-2 run over a span of 7:08 to grab a 24-16 lead with 5:46 left in the first period. McNair had six points on two triples during the tear, and Wilson added two jumpers. NJCU held a seven-point, 35-28 cushion at the break.

 

NJCU continued to lead early in the second half, but the Lightning slowly whittled away the deficit, and tied the game at 43-43 with 11:50 remaining on a three by Nnamani—the only triple Lehman hit in 10 chances during the game. After NJCU regained the scoreboard, Lehman took its first lead of the second half at 9:04 on two free throws by Sampson.

 

A three by McNair at 7:44 and a layup by Sanon at 5:43 helped the Gothic Knights gain a 50-46 margin, and the four-point lead continued at 4:15 when Wilson converted a layup for a 52-48 cushion.

 

But for the fourth time this season, NJCU was unable to make a second-half lead hold up. It was the second time that a lead with less than five minutes remaining would evaporate.

 

Sampson, who scored 10 of her 15 in the second half, made it 52-50, before a jumper by Nnamani tied it at 52-52 with 2:58 left. A three by McNair broke the tie at 2:41, but that was NJCU’s last points of the game, with the Knights leading 55-52, as Lehman outscored the NJCU 9-3 down the stretch.

 

Sampson made it 55-54 with a layup at 2:18, and then put the Lightning ahead with another bucket at 44 seconds. NJCU committed two costly turnovers, and Sampson hit one of two from the line for a 57-55 edge. NJCU could not tie the game with two shot attempts in the final 19 seconds.

 

NJCU shot 41.5 percent overall (22-53), and all six made threes by the Knights came from McNair. NJCU, which committed 26 turnovers in the contest, made 5-of-11 from the line. Lehman shot 40.7 percent overall (24-59), but made three more free throws (66.7%, 8-of-12), in a close game.

 

NJCU will return to action on Saturday, December 16 at 1 p.m. in a non-conference game against Farmingdale State University in Farmingdale, NY. Lehman hosts Western Connecticut State University on Friday at 6 p.m.