New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
GAME NOTES/PROGRAM

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Sophomore power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) posted a 17-rebound, 12-point effort and freshman small forward RASHAWN SMALLS (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) notched 17 points as New Jersey City University, which led by 26 points midway through the second half, withstood a late comeback bid by Ramapo College that saw the lead dwindle to just six, and defeated the Roadrunners, 89-81, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference North Division game on Wednesday night on Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

NJCU (9-14, 4-8 NJAC) snaps a four-game losing streak and hurts Ramapo's playoff chances as the Roadrunners (13-10, 6-6 NJAC) are now a half game behind Rutgers-Newark in the division with one league game remaining. Newark (13-10, 6-5) upset William Paterson University, Ramapo's next opponent on Wednesday night in another NJAC game.

The NJCU win also prevented Ramapo coach Chuck McBreen, now 199-100 in 11 seasons, from achieving his 200^th career victory. It was the 74^th meeting between the schools and NJCU leads the series, 58-16.

In defeat, Ramapo received a game-high 23 points from senior forward Kevin Findlay (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Catholic), who shot 10-of-14 from the field and added eight rebounds.

McDermott, who matches Smalls for the team season-high in rebounding, had 13 of his career-high boards on the defensive glass, and he shot 5-of-6 from the field for his 12 points and first career double-double. Prior to the game, he had never had more than 10 rebounds. He also added three blocks in just 24 minutes of reserve action. He had 11 rebounds in the second half.

Smalls, a seven-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, scored 17 on 7-of-14 shooting with six rebounds, three blocks and three dunks in 30 minutes. He now has 27 slams on the year. Junior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) contributed 15 points, including 7-of-9 free-throw shooting, six assists and four steals while senior guard KYLE INGRAM (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) finished with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Freshman power forward FARRAKHAN WELLS (Newark, NJ/Westside) chipped in 10 points.

Junior guard Andre Kenny (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) tallied 18 points for RCNJ (8-17 FG). Ramapo senior swingman Tim Wesley (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln), a four-time NJAC Player of the Week, scored 16 points in 35 minutes and was 8-of-9 from the line. But Wesley, the league's leading scorer by tenths of a point over Smalls was limited to 4-of-18 shooting and 0-of-5 from three-point distance. Freshman guard Garret Thiel (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) collected nine points and four assists.

NJCU was shooting as high as 72 percent from the field with 4:43 left in the first half when it built a 26-point first half lead, 45-19, on a Smalls three and finished the opening 20 minutes with a 63.3 percent accuracy rate (19-30). NJCU led 50-29 at the half—only the second time this year the Knights have scored 50 in the first period.

Tied 7-7, NJCU used a 17-2 explosion to seize a 24-9 lead with 11:21 left in the half. Six different players scored during the spurt, capped by an Ingram three.

The lead continued to balloon and NJCU moved in front by 21, 38-17, when sophomore guard COREY DIXON (Linden, NJ/David Brearley) hit a jumper at 5:50. Moments later when Smalls jammed down a dunk off a Lopez feed, NJCU led 40-17 with 5:26 left and were shooting 70.8 percent (17-24). Smalls' three gave NJCU its largest lead of the half as the Knights were still shooting 18-of-25 and a Dixon triple made it 49-25 courtesy of a 70.4 percent effort (19-27) with 2:53 left, before heading to the intermission ahead by 21.

After Ramapo had cut it to 19, NJCU scored six straight, including a Wells layup with 14:39 left, as the Knight lead swelled back to 26, 63-37. NJCU still led by 30 with 9:35 remaining when Ingram sank a triple for a 69-49 advantage.

However, Ramapo pieced together a 17-3 streak over the next 4:27 and cut it to six, 72-66, with 5:08 remaining. Findlay had 10 consecutive points and 14 of 17 during the spurt, including a pair of offensive rebounds and tip-ins on second chances of his own missed shots that capped the run.

After McDermott made a free throw after being fouled on a rebound with 3:25 left, Smalls hit a jumper with 3:04 left for a nine-point lead and Lopez drilled a four free throws—a pair at 2:51 left and another set at 2:37, for an 11-point, 79-68 cushion, and Wells sank two more at 2:19, making it 81-68. Findlay cut it to 81-70 and was fouled but McDermott grabbed the carom at 2:08.

RCNJ cut it to nine before Smalls dunked down a feed from Lopez after a Roadrunner timeout for an 83-72 lead with 1:33 left and McDermott buried a jumper with 1:00 remaining to maintain the 85-74 margin. Ingram sealed it with a pair of free throws with 45 seconds remaining and Ramapo couldn't get closer than the eight-point final.

NJCU finished shooting 51.7 percentage for the night (31-60) and made seven threes. Ramapo caused 27 NJCU turnovers—15 in the second half off a relentless press—but couldn't capitalize, and shot just 1-of-10 from three-point range.

NJCU is back in action with its final road game of the season on Monday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. against St. Joseph College (Brooklyn). Ramapo hosts William Paterson on Saturday, February 14 at 3 p.m.