New Jersey City University Athletics

NJCU drops its second straight, falling to 5-3, after winning five of the first six games to start the year. York (5-5) evens its record on the year and wins for the fourth time in five outings. NJCU continues to lead the all-time series, 4-2; the clubs were meeting for the third consecutive year. NJCU was called for 32 fouls; York for 17.

 

Johnson shot 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line, and had seven rebounds (five defensive) in 29 minutes. Senior guard KYLE INGRAM (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) scored 12 points, shooting 5-of-11 (2-8 3FG) with five rebounds.

 

NJCU, facing a D3hoops.com Preseason All-American for the third consecutive game, was able to hold Honorable Mention All-America pick and junior center Marcel Esonwune (Lagos, Nigeria) scoreless in the first half before he scored 17 of York's 36 second-half points. He finished with a double-double of 17 points, 15 rebounds (nine offensive) and four blocks in 36 minutes. While he was limited to 4-of-14 shooting, he converted 9-of-12 from the line.

 

York received a game-high 20 points (7-15 FG), including 5-of-10 three-point shooting, with three assists off the bench from senior guard Nicholas Hamilton-Lopez (Woodside, NY). Senior guard Ryan Exum (Bronx, NY) tallied eight points, eight assists, six steals and six rebounds in 31 reserve minutes. Junior forward Omari Phipps (Laurelton, NY) had eight points and seven rebounds.

 

Also for NJCU, rookie small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) had nine points (4-6 FG) in 16 minutes and senior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) added eight points (3-8 FG), six rebounds and three assists. Junior small forward JOSH CAVER (Trenton, NJ/Fairless Hills (Pennsbury, PA)) made his first NJCU start, and had four blocked shots.

 

York forced NJCU into a season-high 23 turnovers and capitalized with a 27-6 margin in points off giveaways. The Cardinals also had a 36-16 advantage in bench scoring and shot 7-of-17 from three-pointer distance (41.2 percent) versus 3-of-18 (.167) for NJCU.

 

NJCU led for most of the first half and jumped out to an early nine-point, 14-5 lead with 12:43 left after a jumper by Ingram. The Knights grabbed their largest lead of the game when Johnson converted his second straight layup with 9:16 left in the half for an 18-8 margin.

 

But York would score 24 of the next 31 points to close the period. An 8-0 run saw the lead cut to two, 18-16, on an Exum layup with 6:58 on the board before Ingram sank a three 15 seconds later. York would eventually claim the lead on a three by Hamilton-Lopez with 4:52 left in the period and move in front by six on a free throw by sophomore guard Keith Thornton (Long Island City, NY) before he made a triple with 1:10 left in the half for a seven-point difference, 32-25. NJCU committed eight turnovers during the York streak which put the hosts in front for good.

 

Less than two minutes into the second half, NJCU was able to draw within two, 32-30, on a three-point play by Lopez. But York quickly responded. Esonwune's steal led to a jumper by Exum. Later, an Exum steal led to a fast-break basket by Hamilton-Lopez with 16:13 left and the shooter made a three for a 39-32 edge with 15:45 left. Hamilton-Lopez added back-to-back three-pointers with 13:56 and 13:22 remaining as the lead grew to 11 (46-35). York led by as many as 12.

JOSH LOPEZ made it interesting with a three-pointer with 3:58 to make it a five-point, 61-56 game, but NJCU couldn't draw closer than that.

 

NJCU will inactive for 23 days over the holidays before returning to action on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7 p.m. with a non-conference home game against Lycoming College at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.