New Jersey City University Athletics

NJCU (11-7, 6-2 NJAC) remains in first place overall in the conference standings, with their sixth straight NJAC victory. Overall, NJCU wins its fifth consecutive game and for the sixth time in seven outings since New Year’s Day. Rowan (13-5, 3-4) loses its third straight. NJCU leads the all-time series, 54-50. The Knights shot 17-of-35 from three-point range; RU only attempted 13 triples (3-13). NJCU is now 217-14 all-time when scoring 90 or more.

 

John scored 26 of his game-high 31 points in the first half, when he shot 8-of-11 from three-point range. His eight threes are both single-game and single-half school records. The previous known mark was seven treys by Samar Battle on February 21, 2004 at Montclair State University.

 

In 38 minutes, John shot 10-of-16 overall and 8-of-12 from three-point range, with seven rebounds and three steals. His previous career high was 28 on December 30 at Hampden-Sydney College.

John has scored at least 20 points in a game five times this year, and totaled at least 25 points in each instance. NJCU is now 6-2 all-time when he scores at least 20. He only attempted three total shots in the second half.

 

John, who became the first NJCU player to notch 30 this season, continues to torch Rowan in Glassboro, having scored 27 and 31 points, respectively, in his first two collegiate games at Esby Gym.

 

Senior point guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) scored 20 points in a game for the first time in his career and became NJCU’s fifth player to do this year, as he came close to a triple-double with 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, shooting 8-of-15 from the field and a remarkable 6-of-8 from three-point range. He had 14 points and four threes in the second half. One game after John became the first player on record in the 25-year career of Brown to play a full 40 minutes in a regulation game, Mirabel repeated that occurrence, playing every second of the contest.

 

Also for NJCU, junior forward MARQUES HILL (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) had 12 points, including 8-of-10 from the free-throw line, with nine rebounds and three blocks and sophomore guard KEVIN TUCKER (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) had 13 points, four assists and three steals. Senior center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) had nine points, six boards and four assists.

 

Rowan senior guard Thomas Baker (Millville, NJ/Millville) matched John with a game-high 31 points, but needed nearly twice as many shots to get there, hitting 15-of-29 from the field in 32 minutes. He missed several minutes of action with a leg injury.

 

Junior forward Matt Byrnes (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) added 19 points (7-17 FG, 3-7 3FG) and six rebounds in a shade under 40 minutes. Junior forward Dwayne Reevey (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven) contributed seven assists, seven rebounds, six points and two blocks. Senior guard Tim Bowser (Millville, NJ/Millville) had nine points (4-5 FG).

 

Five of NJCU’s first six field goals were threes, and 6-of-8. Mirabel twice gave NJCU 10-point, first half leads, including 24-14 with 12:14 remaining in the opening period. Rowan, which never led again after the 16:57 mark of the half, eventually tied the game at 39-39 and 41-41 with 2:00 left in the opening period before John buried his sixth, seventh, and eighth threes of the game in the final 1:46. NJCU closed the period on an 11-2 run behind John, and led 52-43 at the half. NJCU made 11-of-21 threes in the first period—more in one half than the team had made in 16 of its first 17 games this season.

 

The Knights led the entire second half. The Profs shaved the deficit to two, 67-65 with 10:00 left on a Baker lay-up. However, NJCU put the game out of reach with a 9-0 spurt over a span of 1:03. John was fouled from deep and hit all three free throws, before junior guard SHY MARTINEZ (Union City, NJ/Union Hill) hit his second triple of the game and Mirabel drained his third at 8:34, making it 76-65.

 

That was the start of Mirabel madness, as he expanded the run to 20-7. He knocked down three more three-pointers, and overall scored12 of 14 for his team at one point. His sixth trey gave NJCU its largest lead, 87-72, with 4:26 left. NJCU led by 15 at four junctures in the final 4:26 before winning by 13.

 

NJCU only committed 11 turnovers, and while Rowan had 17, the Knights turned those mistakes into a 25-11 margin in points off giveaways. Rowan, which lost despite shooting 50 percent (36-72), had a 26-8 margin in bench scoring, and a 50-14 cushion in points in the paint, due to NJCU tallying 51 from long range.

 

NJCU will return to action on Monday at 8 p.m. when it hosts New York City College of Technology in a non-conference game at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. NJCU has won seven consecutive home games.