New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
***HIGHLIGHT VIDEO*** (coming soon)

JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...Three days after enjoying its best shooting performance in nearly five years New Jersey City University witnessed an opponent experience a solid demonstration of its own. Brooklyn College shot 66.7 percent from the field in the second half and 58.5 percent for the night and the Bulldogs used a 17-2 run early in the second period to break open a three-point contest, before surprising the Gothic Knights, 77-62, in a non-conference men's basketball game on Tuesday night on “Coach Charlie Brown Court” at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

 

The loss for NJCU (5-2) snapped the Gothic Knights' five-game winning streak, which included an upset of then #8 Richard Stockton College on Saturday, and was NJCU's first home court loss in four dates this year. Brooklyn improves to 4-3, but has won three of its last four road games.

 

In the first meeting between the schools in nearly 29 years, the clubs were playing for the first time since January 3, 1981. It was Brooklyn's first win in the series since December 1974 and the first known win in Jersey City. NJCU, which still leads a series which dates to 1963 by a 12-4 margin, had won the last five encounters.

 

Brooklyn moved the ball well, particularly on the fast-break, where it held a 22-8 advantage. BC scored 56 of its 77 points in the paint.

 

BC was led by D3hoops.com Second-Team Preseason All-America selection and two-time CUNYAC Player of the Year, senior forward Richard Jean-Baptiste (Queens, NY/St. John's Prep), who shot 9-of-13 and tallied a game-high 19 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals before fouling out.

 

The Bulldogs also received 12 points (5-8 FG) from junior forward Iouri Matsakov (Brooklyn, NY/Abraham Lincoln) and nine points (4-7 FG) and nine rebounds from sophomore guard Amil John (Brooklyn, NY/South Shore).

 

In defeat, rookie small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) had 10 points (4-11 FG), six rebounds, two blocks and two steals but committed five turnovers. Junior forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds (eight defensive) and five points.

 

Junior small forward JOSH CAVER (Trenton, NJ/Fairless Hills (Pennsbury, PA)) collected nine points (3-5 FG) and two blocks. Senior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) had his streak of consecutive games in double figures end at five, but he did tally eight points (2-8 3FG) and three assists. His second three was the 126^th of his career, moving him into third place in school history—eclipsing Jeff Jordan who had 125 triples from 1987-91.

Also scoring eight points for NJCU was freshman power forward ISAIAH JOHNSON (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) (4-6 FG) before fouling out, and sophomore center TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley), who was 4-of-4 from the line.

 

BC senior guard Thomas Guerin (Brooklyn, NY/St. Edmund Prep) finished with six points, five assists and three steals. Senior forward Marlon Thornton (Brooklyn, NY/Richmond Hill) had eight points (3-5 FG).

In a game that was tied twice, Brooklyn never trailed. Each team had 23 turnovers and 35 rebounds, but the Knights shot 34.5 percent overall (20-58) and 29.6 percent in the second half (8-27). After breaking the single game school record by shooting 68.8 percent (11-16) on Saturday, NJCU slipped to 10.5 percent from long range on 2-of-19.

 

BC gained a 14-6 lead with 13:11 left in the first half on a Matsakov dunk before a three-point play by Thornton made it 18-8 with 10:41 left in the period. Sophomore small forward ASAD FAISON (Salisbury, NC/West Rowan (NC)) had an offensive rebound and putback and Lopez converted a triple to cut it to five before another Matsakov dunkmade it 20-13. A technical for hanging on the rim allowed Lopez to sink two free throws and McDermott cut it to 20-17 with a layup.

 

NJCU twice drew within two, including on an Albright tip-in (22-20) with 7:40 left in the half before Russell scored four points, extending it to 26-20 and with 4:40 left Russell added another bucket, pushing the lead back to 10 (32-22). Trailing by six in the final minute, Faison had two foul shots and a layup to make it a four-point, 38-34 deficit at the half.

 

The Knights were right in the game early in the second. Lopez drilled his 126^th three for a 40-37 score and Abdullah—now 24-of-27 at the line for the year (88.9 percent)—hit a pair of foul shots for a 42-39 difference with 16:52 left.

 

But from there, the Bulldogs uncorked a Jean-Baptiste 17-2 run over a span of 4:20 to claim an 18-point, 59-41 advantage. Jean-Baptiste scored six field goals, including a triple, with John adding four points. Three field goals were the direct result of a turnover. Brooklyn led by as many as 20 points (68-48) with 7:37 remaining and NJCU couldn't get closer than 14.

 

NJCU will be back in action for the final time this semester on Saturday, December 12 with a 4 p.m. non-conference game against York College (NY) in Jamaica, Queens. Brooklyn hosts SUNY Old Westbury that day at 3 p.m.