New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…After being voted fourth of five teams in the New Jersey Athletic Conference preseason poll, and then losing its first two league games of the season, New Jersey City University has used 2007 to emerge as the front-runner in the league. That point became even clearer on Wednesday, as New Jersey City University, behind four players in double figures, finished January with an 8-1 record during the month, and routed rival Rutgers-Newark, 77-56, in an important NJAC North Division contest at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

 

NJCU wins its seventh consecutive game to improve to 13-7 overall and own the best record in the NJAC at 7-2. The Gothic Knights extended their home court winning streak to nine straight since last year. Rutgers-Newark, which had a chance to pass NJCU in the standings, had they won, drops to 15-6 and 5-4 NJAC.  Newark is 6-6 in 2007, after opening the season at 9-0 during the 2006 segment of the schedule.

 

NJCU has a decisive 54-6 lead in the all-time series and 21-2 at home in the rivalry. The Knights are 42-5 against the Scarlet Raiders during the 25-year tenure of head coach CHARLES BROWN (477-215).

 

Sophomore swingman DANA JOHN (Hillside, NJ/Pocono Mountain East (Pa.)) reached the 20-point plateau for the seventh time this season and the third game in a row and the Knights improve to 8-2 all-time when he scores 20+. He shot 11-of-15 from the line, converting as many free throws by himself as the entire Newark team (11-18).

 

Junior forward MARQUES HILL (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) hit 8-of-10 field goals to finish with 17 points and eight rebounds (seven offensive) and senior center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) notched a double-double of 12 points (6-11 FG) and 12 rebounds, with five assists. It was his second double-double against Newark this year, his third double-double this year and the seventh of his career.

 

Also for NJCU, sophomore guard KEVIN TUCKER (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) bagged 13 points, six steals and five assists in 34 minutes. Senior point guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) collected eight rebounds and six points.

 

Sophomore swingman David Cherry (Linden, NJ/Roselle Catholic) posted a double-double of 15 points (6-8 FG) and 11 rebounds (10 defensive) in a losing cause for the Raiders. Freshman guard Deshawn Singleton (Passaic, NJ/Passaic) had eight points, and senior guard Quran Wimberley (Newark, NJ/St. Anthony’s) finished with seven points and four assists.

 

Newark rallied from a 34-20 halftime deficit and took its first lead of the second half with 13:35 left at 40-39, after manufacturing a 19-6 spurt. A Cherry jumper at 12:58 made it 42-41 visitors. But an 8-0 run by NJCU created by a Tucker triple and two Williams baskets made it 49-42 at 10:57. The lead stood at eight, 58-50, at 7:03, before unleashing another 8-0 spurt, capped by a John three. He had five points during the run, and NJCU led 66-50 with 5:33 remaining. The Knights finished the game by scoring 19 of the final 25 points. The 21-point winning margin was NJCU’s largest lead of the evening.

 

Hill sparked NJCU in the first half, as he scored eight of NJCU’s initial 11 points. A John triple made it 18-10. The Knights strung together an 11-2 run for a 26-12 cushion, pulling in front by as many as 15, 30-15 at 3:36, before going to the break ahead by 14.

 

NJCU limited the Raiders to a season low six assists and only committed 14 turnovers. The Raiders had 20 giveaways.

 

NJCU returns to action on Saturday, February 3 at 8 p.m. when it hosts Rutgers University-Camden in an NJAC game. The Raiders host Kean University that night at 7:30 p.m.