NJCU SETS SINGLE-GAME SCHOOL RECORD WITH 10 THREE-POINTERS
NEW YORK, NY…Senior forward
VANESSA VARGAS ESPINOZA (Union City, NJ/Emerson-Union City) shot 6-of-8 from three-point range to tie the single-game individual record for triples while helping
New Jersey City University achieve a team record 10 threes, and she scored 15 of her 18 points in the first half as the Gothic Knights jumped out to a 27-point first-half advantage and cruised to a 70-48 non-conference victory over City College of New York, Wednesday at the Nat Holman Gymnasium.
NJCU (6-13) has now won back-to-back games for the first time this season. NJCU leads the all-time series against CCNY (8-12)—which had its two-game winning streak snapped—by an 11-4 margin. The Knights have won the last three meetings between the clubs.
NJCU knocked down 10-of-19 from three-point range (52.6 percent), including 66.7 percent from (8-12) in the first half. The previous single-game team record was eight accomplished three times, most recently during the 2005-06 season. NJCU also held an opponent to 50 or fewer points for the sixth time this season, and the Knights are 4-2 when doing so.
NJCU shot 57.6 percent in the first half (19-33), and finished the game at 51.8 percent from the field (29-56). NJCU also had a 29-4 advantage in bench scoring, and its reserves have outscored the opposition, 44-9 during the last two games. Overall, NJCU supplied assists on 23 of its 29 made field goals, including 17-of-19 in the first period.
Espinoza tied current assistant coach
LATRESE McNAIR for the single-game individual school record for three-pointers made;
McNair shot 6-of-7 from three-point range against Lehman College on December 13, 2006.
Espinoza now has made 11 triples in her last two games (11-17) and 28 in 10 games since transferring to NJCU from Ramapo College. She now has 921 points and 129 threes between the two schools.
Espinoza, who had the third triple-double in NJCU history on Monday, challenged for another in Wednesday’s win, finishing with 18 points (6-8 FG, all threes), nine rebounds (eight defensive), six assists and four steals with just one turnover in 30 minutes.
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TANIA GREENLEAF" src="/images/wbasket/2008/1/30/11-28-07%20Tania%20Greenleaf%2024.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>
Sophomore guard
TANIA GREENLEAF (Bordentown, NJ/Columbia) came off the bench to compile a team-best 19 points (7-13 FG), including 3-of-6 from three-point range, in 22 minutes.
Junior forward
ALAIA ROBINSON (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) grabbed 10 rebounds—the 14
th time this season she has had at least 10 boards—and added six points, and sophomore point guard
CAROLINA GARCIA (Plainfield, NJ/Franklin) dished a career-high eight assists, adding seven points and three steals. NJCU was playing their sixth straight game without their leading scorer, freshman guard
ANGELA FITZGERALD (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) (15.5 points per game).
The Beavers received a game-high 20 points (7-15 FG) and five steals from freshman guard Anika Rivera (Bronx, NY/Msgr. Scalan), and a double-double of 17 points (8-15 FG), 11 rebounds and five steals from freshman center Nadia Tijani (Bronx, NY/DeWitt Clinton).
NJCU, which never trailed, held a 13-12 margin 5:47 into the game, before unleashing a 31-5 run to seize control. NJCU led by 27, 44-17 with 2:10 left in the half. The score stood 21-16 with 9:39 on the board, before NJCU ignited the majority of its decisive run, outscoring the Beavers 23-1 over a span of 7:29.
Greenleaf opened that 23-1 spurt with a jumper and a three, before
Espinoza banged home back-to-back triples for a 32-16 edge. Two baskets by sophomore guard
MICHELLE VASQUEZ (Harrison, NJ/Harrison), followed by another
Espinoza three made it 39-17, before
Greenleaf concluded the spurt with a jumper and another trey.
Greenleaf had 10 of the 23 points during the 23-1 streak, while
Espinoza had nine.
NJCU led 46-21 at halftime. Its largest lead of the game was 33 (64-31) with 7:38 remaining. NJCU out-rebounded CCNY, 39-29.
NJCU returns to action on Saturday, February 2 at 5 p.m. when it hosts The College of New Jersey in a New Jersey Athletic Conference inter-divisional game at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on Homecoming Weekend 2008.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
|
Team Stat Comparison |
|
|
NJCU |
CCNY |
|
Score |
70 |
48 |
|
Half-Time Score |
46 |
21 |
|
Field Goal Percentage |
.518 (29-56) |
.351 (20-57) |
|
Three-Point Percentage |
.526 (10-19) |
.400 (2-5) |
|
Free Throw Percentage |
.500 (2-4) |
.500 (6-12) |
|
Rebounds (O-D-T) |
12-27-39 |
13-16-29 |
|
Assists |
23 |
10 |
|
Turnovers |
22 |
17 |
|
Blocks |
2 |
0 |
|
Steals |
12 |
13 |
|
Fouls |
12 |
8 |
|
Largest Lead |
33 |
None |
|
Points in the Paint |
20 |
28 |
|
Points off Turnovers |
17 |
23 |
|
Second Change Points |
4 |
11 |
|
Fast Break Points |
Not |
Tracked |
|
Bench Points |
29 |
4 |
