New Jersey City University Athletics

In a game that lasted nearly two and half hours, NJCU shot 35-of-58 (.603) from the foul line in the physical contest which featured a combined 62 fouls. The 35 free throws ties a single-game school record originally set on February 19, 1983 when then Jersey City State College shot 35-of-44 in an 85-78 win at then-Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey). Meanwhile, the 58 free throws attempted breaks the known school record of 56 achieved in a 102-99 win at Bryant College on December 29, 1988.

 

NJCU (4-1), a year after suffering its largest non-conference loss in school history to the Rams (0-4), got an 'Elite' measure of revenge, forcing an opponent into 22 or more turnovers for the fifth consecutive game to open the season. NJCU, which leads the all-time series, 8-2, posted a 30-11 edge in points off turnovers in the win.

 

The 89 points were the most by NJCU since scoring 90 on February 16, 2009 in a 90-77 win at St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn).

 

Senior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) led his club in scoring for the fourth straight game, pouring in 17 points, including 9-of-12 from the line, with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. He converted two more threes, bringing his career total to 122.

 

Freshman power forward ISAIAH JOHNSON (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) notched the first double-double of the year for NJCU in 19 minutes off the bench. He collected 12 points (4-9 FG) and 10 rebounds, including seven offensive caroms. Rookie small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) tabulated a career-high 15 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3FG), with four steals, three assists and two blocks, and could have scored even more if not for an off night at the line (5-15 FT).

 

Also for NJCU, sophomore center TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) collected 11 points (3-7 FG), including 5-of-5 from the line, with four boards. Junior small forward ANTOINE ROGERS (Trenton, NJ/Ewing) finished with 10 points (3-6 FG), connecting on all three three-pointers he attempted, while adding three assists in 20 minutes.

 

Also for NJCU, junior power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) added six points, six rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes while freshman power forward TERRENCE DOCTOR (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy) plugged in four rebounds, two blocks, two assists and two steals in 15 minutes.

 

The Rams received a game-high 18 points (6-7 FG, 2-3 3FG, 4-5 FT) and four rebounds off the bench from freshman guard Wade Cress (Staten Island, NY/Curtis). Junior forward Nikita Davis (Brooklyn, NY/Telecommunications) tallied 14 points (5-9 FG), eight rebounds and three steals before fouling out. Junior guard Tymel Ambrose (Brooklyn, NY/Grady)—one of three FSC players to foul out of the game—delivered 10 of the Rams' 13 assists, and had five points.

 

A three-pointer by Lopez 57 seconds into the game put NJCU in front for the rest of the night. A fast-break dunk by Abdullah off an Albright steal, a triple by senior guard KYLE INGRAM (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) and a McDermott layup off a Lopez feed put the Knights ahead 10-0 just 4:08 into the contest.

 

A three-point play by Abdullah and Albright fast-break steal and layup extended the cushion to 15-2 with 14:51 left in the period. A layup by Lopez (14:07) and triple by Albright (13:56) made it 20-4 and a Johnson fast-break basket with 13:00 left put the score at 22-6. A three by Rogers with 10:03 on the board made it 30-16.

 

NJCU continued to lead 35-24 with 5:24 left in the half on an Ingram three before the Rams hit two three-pointers and junior forward Andre Martin (Bronx, NY/Evander Childs) added a layup after making one of the threes, and FSC cut the lead to just two, 35-33, with 2:23 remaining in the period. Doctor grabbed an offensive rebound and slammed it for a 38-33 edge before NJCU headed to the break ahead by three, 38-35.

 

But NJCU scored the first nine points of the second half, opening the period on a 13-2 run, to regain a double-digit margin, which it would hold for the rest of the night. Albright sank a three 31 seconds into the period and Abdullah made two foul shots before Rogers drilled a three for a 47-35 lead with 16:49 left. Johnson (16:23) and Albright (15:28) added field goals for a 51-37 advantage. The Rams never came closer than 10 the remainder of the period and NJCU held its largest lead of the event, a 20-point, 76-56 difference, when Lopez sank another three with 5:53 remaining, before the hosts prevailed by 15.

NJCU shot 38.3 percent overall (23-60) and hit 40 percent of its threes (8-20) after coming into the game just 13-of-72 (.181) from three-point range this season. Farmingdale shot 43.8 percent overall (28-64), including 7-of-21 from three-point distance, but was 15-of-30 from the line (.500), and missed nine consecutive free throws after starting the night 6-for-6.

After meeting a 2009 Elite 8 qualifier in this contest, NJCU moves on to face the 2009 NCAA national runner-up, Richard Stockton College, on Saturday, December 5 at 3 p.m. in Pomona, NJ as the Knights meet the nationally #8 ranked Ospreys in the first New Jersey Athletic Conference game of the year for both sides. The Rams visit Sage College in a Skyline Conference game at the same time.