New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
ARCHIVED GAME AUDIO
KYLE INGRAM THREE SEALS IT

NEW YORK, NY…Senior guard KYLE INGRAM (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) hit five three-pointers en route to a career-high 27 points, including a dagger shot with 1:16 remaining, and junior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) became the first player since 2002 to record at least 11 assists in a game as New Jersey City University outlasted John Jay College, 85-77, in a non-conference men's basketball game on Monday night at the Dogpound.

The win snapped a four-game skid for NJCU (7-10) and allowed the Gothic Knights to remain a perfect 12-0 all-time against the Bloodhounds (6-13). NJCU shot above 50 percent in a game for the first time this year, converting 54.2 percent of its shots (32-59) and was above 50 percent in each half.

Ingram, who scored 15 in the first half, shot 9-of-14 overall and 5-of-7 from three-point distance for his career-best 27 in 29 minutes—the most by any NJCU player this year, and four better than the 23 he scored against York College (NY) in his Gothic Knight debut on November 15.

Lopez had his first career double-double, finishing with 15 points (5-15 FG; 3-8 3FG) and 11 assists in 34 minutes. He became the first NJCU player with double figures in assists since Mark Washington had 10 against William Paterson University on February 26, 2004, and his 11 assists were the most by an NJCU player since Rafi Hargrove dished 12 against Montclair State University on February 13, 2002.

Freshman center FARRAKHAN WELLS (Newark, NJ/Westside) celebrated his 19^th birthday with 12 points (6-8 FG) and five rebounds before fouling out, while sophomore power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), making his first career start in place of freshman small forward RASHAWN SMALLS (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) who didn't play, contributed eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in 30 minutes before fouling out. Sophomore RASHAD DAVIS (Newark, NJ/Amherst (MA)) got the start at center and added a career-high seven points, while freshman point guard GABRIEL GARCIA (Elizabeth, NJ/St. Mary's, Elizabeth) came off the bench to provide eight points, including 6-of-8 from the line.

John Jay was led by senior guard Godfrey Mascall (Brooklyn, NY/Paul Robeson), who scored 26 points, including an amazing performance of 18-of-21 from the line, while shooting 4-of-10 from the field with four assists. He had more free throw attempts individually than NJCU did as a team (13-20).

Senior guard Miguel Garcia (New York, NY/St. Raymond's) had 14 points (5-11 FG), including 3-of-7 from three-point distance. Sophomore forward Chris Jaeger (Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) had a near double-double, finishing with 12 points (4-6 FG), nine rebounds, and three assists. Junior guard Gary Brady (Bronx, NY/Martin Luther King) added seven points, five rebounds and five assists.

NJCU never trailed in the game and jumped out to an early 11-point lead, 21-10. Lopez connected on back-to-back threes in a span of 33 seconds and Ingram scored eight straight points with jumpers from 19 feet or further, including a pair of triples. Two layups by Wells gave NJCU its largest lead of the period, a 34-17 margin with 6:34 left. NJCU did not commit a turnover in the first 12:27 of the game before giving up seven in the final seven minutes, allowing the Bloodhounds to trim the lead to nine at the break, 40-31.

NJCU came out blazing to open the second half. A steal and fast-break jam by Wells, an Ingram layup, and a Lopez triple started a 16-4 run to open the period, which was eventually capped by an Ingram three and Lopez layup at 14:29, for a 21-point, 56-35 lead.

John Jay slowly began chipping away at NJCU's lead as the Knights committed 12 turnovers in the second half before the Bloodhounds cut the deficit to single digits for the first time in the period, 70-61, on a Mascall basket with 4:07 remaining. After a free throw cut it to eight, Ingram turned the ball over at midcourt after an inbounds, leading to a fast-break Mascall layup with 1:57 left and a six-point lead. 

Ingram again gave it away with 1:48 left and Mascall, who had a steal, was fouled and hit two foul shots, making it a four-point contest, 73-69.

But after a timeout by NJCU, Ingram made up for his sins, drilling a key three-pointer from the left arc with the shot clock winding down for a 76-69 lead. Mascall drove downcourt but had his dribble knocked away by freshman center TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) with 1:01 left. Ingram came up with the loose ball after the steal, was fouled, and hit two free throws to make it a nine-point game.

Garcia hit a three for John Jay with 53 seconds left before NJCU's Garcia returned the favor with two foul shots. After Mascall scored on a layup to cut the deficit to six again with 40 seconds remaining, Lopez found Davis for a layup with 32 seconds left for an eight-point margin and JJC couldn't draw closer than five.

NJCU is back in action on Wednesday, January 28 at 7:30 p.m. when it visits Rutgers-Newark in a New Jersey Athletic Conference North Division game at the Golden Dome in Newark.