New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE

MADISON, NJ…New Jersey City University freshman guard EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) registered her first career double-double, posting career highs of 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds as the Gothic Knights attempted to rally from a 24-point half-time deficit, drawing within seven late in the second half, before Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham defeated NJCU, 73-57, in a non-conference game on Tuesday night at Ferguson Rec Center.

FDU (4-2) won for the seventh straight time between the schools and leads the all-time series, 7-3. NJCU falls to 1-4 overall.

Cunningham scored 17 of her 21 in the second half and had all of her 13 rebounds—the second time this year she has had double-figures in rebounds—in the period. Her highest previous scoring total was eight. She shot 8-of-20 from the field, 2-of-2 from three-point range and 3-of-4 from the line, all in just 24 minutes.

Freshman guard LASHAWN OVERTON (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder), this week's New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week, had 12 points (6-12 FG) and five rebounds before fouling out. Junior guard CAROLINA GARCIA (Plainfield, NJ/Franklin) added eight points while freshman point guard NIDIA CARMONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) chipped in five rebounds and four steals before also fouling out.

FDU was led by junior forward Danielle Michlovsky (Wind Gap, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) who had a game-high 22 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. She shot 8-of-14 from the field and 6-of-8 at the line. Senior guard Emily Cerankowski (Easton, PA/Notre Dame) contributed 19 points, five steals and four assists.

Also for the Devils, junior forward Courtney Young (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Sophomore forward Shealyn Taggart (Atlantic Highlands, NJ/Middletown South) had seven points, five rebounds and three blocks. Freshman guard Kate Benedit (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore) grabbed eight rebounds.

FDU converted twice as many shots in the first half as did the Knights, 16-8, and sprinted out to an 18-2 run, scoring 18 straight during the spurt which lasted 7:07. It was the second straight game NJCU fell behind by double figures in the opening moments and later would prove too much to overcome. It was 30-14 with 4:55 left in the period before FDU had a 10-2 advantage to close the half and led 40-16.

NJCU outscored FDU 41-33 in the second half, and trailing 52-28 at 15:02 of the period, the Knights began whittling the deficit away, closing within 56-42 when Cunningham drilled a three with 9:59 left. 

That was the first of seven consecutive points she would score as NJCU drew within 10, 56-46 with 7:48 left. Jumpers by Cunningham and Overton made it 60-52 with 3:05 left and Cunningham hit another shot with 1:49 remaining (61-54) before the Devils made 10 free throws in the final 1:11, converting 10-of-11 opportunities, to seal the win.

NJCU will return to action on Wednesday, December 3 at 5:30 p.m. when it opens the New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule at Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ.