BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM
JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...Rowan University gained a lead early in the first half and in a game that seemingly was a back-and-forth two-possession contest for much of the way, the Profs outshot New Jersey City University from the field by enough to hold on for a 62-55 victory on Saturday afternoon in a New Jersey Athletic Conference event on “Coach Charlie Brown Court” at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. The Profs outscored NJCU in the paint, 37-16 and out-rebounded the hosts, 44-31, including a 32-16 margin on the defensive glass.
Rowan improves to 13-5 and 4-3 in the NJAC while NJCU (9-8, 3-4 NJAC), loses its second straight conference game following a four-game winning streak. Rowan has won the last two meetings in the series which NJCU leads 55-52 since it began in 1938-39 (known results only).
Each team had two players in double figures as Rowan outshot NJCU 42.6 percent (20-47) to 28.8 percent (17-59). NJCU shot 7-of-29 from three-point range while the visitors made 20-of-27 from the free throw stripe (.741) to keep the Gothic Knights an arm's length from the lead most of the night.
For Rowan, freshman guard Kendall White (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) collected 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting and 6-of-7 free-throw accuracy to match a game high. He added seven rebounds in 30 minutes. Sophomore forward Gary Foster (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) was close to a double-double with 11 points (4-11 FG, 3-5 FT), nine rebounds (six offensive), two assists and two steals. Junior guard Sean Hughes (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) contributed nine points and four assists.
NJCU senior guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) equaled a game best with 16 points, but was just 4-of-16 from the field and 3-of-14 from long range. His three three-pointers gives him 154 for his career. He added three steals. Junior point guard COREY DIXON (Linden, NJ/David Brearley) had a season-high 10 points, shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range and the field, with five rebounds.
Junior power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) had a solid all-around effort. He entered the game having only played 30 minutes or more five times in his career. But he stayed out of foul trouble, logging a career-high 37 minutes, and posted nine points (2-5 FG, 5-5 FT), seven rebounds, a career-best seven steals, and three blocks. Freshman power forward ISAIAH JOHNSON (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus), the three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, had five points and five rebounds.
Rowan gained the lead 1:56 into the game and never trailed again, but also never could truly pull away. In the opening half, Rowan, which led 25-21 at halftime, never held a margin of more than six points. The Profs gained a 21-15 lead on a Hughes triple with 6:44 to go in the half and a White putback with 3:52 left (23-17).
With the lead four (27-23) in the second half, Rowan slowly inched out to a 12-point lead with 13:00 remaining, owning a 41-29 cushion after a pair of Foster foul shots. The Profs outscored the Knights 10-3 to build a 37-26 margin with 14:50 to go, before extending it to 12. Dixon kept NJCU in the game by hitting three three-pointers in a span of 3:12, cutting the deficit to seven, 44-37, with 11:17 to play. Lopez shaved it to 44-40 with 10:06 left.
Rowan stormed back in front by 10, 50-40, with 8:56 remaining and freshman guard A.J. Greenwald (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) had a key three-point play followed by a White basket before Lopez drilled a triple with 8:37 to play and McDermott dropped in two foul shots, cutting it to 50-45. Rowan pushed ahead by seven, before freshman small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) hit two free throws and Lopez buried another trey with 5:54 remaining, slicing the lead to three, 53-50.
But from there, NJCU could only get three shots off over the next 5:06, and missed each. Rowan moved ahead 56-50 on a jumper by Greenwald with 3:57 remaining and White sank two foul shots with 1:16 on the board for a 58-50 margin. Johnson finished a layup with 47.1 seconds to go, but NJCU was unable to draw any closer as the Profs hit two from the line to ice it.
NJCU returns to action on Wednesday, January 27 at 8 p.m. when it hosts #21 ranked William Paterson University (18-1, 7-0 NJAC), winners of 16 straight games. Rowan visits Rutgers University-Camden at the same time.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
|
Team Stat Comparison
|
|
|
NJCU
|
ROWAN
|
|
Score
|
55
|
62
|
|
Half-Time Score
|
21
|
25
|
|
Field Goal Percentage
|
.288 (17-59)
|
.426 (20-47)
|
|
Three-Point Percentage
|
.241 (7-29)
|
.500 (2-4)
|
|
Free Throw Percentage
|
.609 (14-23)
|
.741 (20-27)
|
|
Rebounds (O-D-T)
|
15-16-31
|
12-32-44
|
|
Assists
|
10
|
12
|
|
Turnovers
|
19
|
26
|
|
Blocks
|
9
|
2
|
|
Steals
|
17
|
8
|
|
Fouls
|
21
|
20
|
|
Largest Lead
|
3
|
12
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
16
|
37
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
18
|
12
|
|
Second Change Points
|
9
|
6
|
|
Fast Break Points
|
4
|
8
|
|
Bench Points
|
18
|
17
|
