New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE

PURCHASE, NY…Freshman guard EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) recorded the 29th 20-rebound game in New Jersey City University women's basketball history and the Gothic Knights outrebounded Manhattanville College, 58-37, but in the first meeting between the schools in 25 years, NJCU committed 32 turnovers and shot just .179 from the floor in the second half, as the Valiants prevailed 68-53, in non-conference women's basketball action on Wednesday evening at Kennedy Gymnasium.

NJCU, facing the Valiants for the first time since March 2, 1984, falls to 4-10. Manhattanville (6-8), which won the only other meeting between the clubs and leads the series, 2-0, held NJCU to 19-of-68 shooting for the contest (.279) while forcing a team season high in turnovers.

Cunningham, who had 20 rebounds, including 14 of NJCU's 31 defensive caroms, became the first player to reach 20 since ALAIA ROBINSON had that many in a loss to Denison College on November 24, 2007. She also scored six points. Now averaging 9.5 rebounds per game, she has reached double figures in the category six times overall and in four of her last five games.

NJCU, which trailed by only one at the half, 31-30, also received a game-best 17 points (7-26 FG), with three assists and two steals from freshman guard LASHAWN OVERTON (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder). 

Junior guard CAROLINA GARCIA (Plainfield, NJ/ Franklin) finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. Junior forward SHAYLA DANIELS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) posted her second career double-double, adding 10 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard JANAYA MORRIS (Bronx, NY/FLAGS) had eight rebounds and six points off the bench.

Despite their fine scoring and rebounding efforts, Cunningham, Garcia, and Overton combined for 26 of the 32 turnovers the team committed.

Offensively, the Valiants used a balanced attack to take down the Knights, as six players recorded at least eight points. Sophomore guard Simona Gordon (Cambridge, MA) came off the bench to net a team-best 15 points and added six rebounds. Freshman forward Kelli Hyjek (Tolland, CT) got her second consecutive start in the frontcourt and responded with a season-best 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, six rebounds and three steals, while fellow forward senior forward Lauren Grenier (Oxford, MA) added nine points, eight rebounds, one block and one steal.

Senior guard Olivia Nastasi (Cold Spring, NY) netted eight points and five assists for the Valiants, and now sits only 19 points away from the 1,000-point mark for her career.

The Valiants shot consistently in each half, connecting on 45.3 percent (29-for-64) of its attempts for the night. M-Ville scored 25 points off of NJCU's giveaways and had a 29-8 boost in bench points while dominating offensively in the paint, a 46-18 advantage.

In the first half there were seven ties and six lead changes. NJCU held its largest lead with 7:04 remaining when Daniels converted a pair of foul shots. But Nastasi hit a three and Gordon tied it with a jumper. After a layup by Cunningham gave NJCU back a 24-22 lead, M-Ville tied it again. Cunningham later forced yet another tie with a fast-break layup.

But Hyjek, who shot 4-of-5 in the first half, scored five straight points and the Valiants' last seven points of the period for a 31-26 lead. A jumper by Overton and basket by sophomore center ROBIN REYNOLDS (East Orange, NJ/University) made it a one-point game at the intermission.

With the win, Manhattanville increased its home winning streak to five games, which is the longest such stretch since the 2002-03 season.

NJCU is back in action on Saturday, January 17 at 2 p.m. when it hosts Kean University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. Kean is ranked #24 nationally in the USA Today/ESPN Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll.