Rowan improves to 11-6 overall and 5-2 in the league. The Gothic Knights (4-12, 2-5 NJAC) has their two-game NJAC winning streak snapped. Rowan has won the last three meetings between the clubs and leads the series, 37-9, dating to 1982.
Rowan opened a 17-4 lead in the game and never trailed, shooting 55.6 percent overall on 30-of-54, including 61.3 percent accuracy in the second half (19-31). Meanwhile, the visitors made 80 percent of its foul shots (12-15) and were successful on 3-of-5 from three-point range.
Rowan senior forward Amanda Jennings (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Twp.) led all scorers, dropping in 22 points (10-13 FG). She also grabbed five rebounds and contributed three assists, three steals and two blocks. Jennings netted 15 of her 22 points in the second half.
NJCU freshman forward LINDIA FISCHER (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), the reigning NJAC Rookie of the Week, just missed a double-double, scoring 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while grabbing nine rebounds (six defensive). She also had two steals and a block in 35 minutes.
Also for the Gothic Knights, sophomore guard/forward EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) had 12 points, making 3-of-9 from three-point range (4-16 FG), in her first game back after missing the previous two. Junior guard MIESHA COOKE (Paterson, NJ/Sports Business Academy) also scored 12 points (4-11 FG, 2-7 3FG), grabbing five rebounds. Freshman point guard LATIFAH JOHNSON (Newark, NJ/University) contributed 10 points (3-12 FG), with four assists and three steals.
Senior forward Michelle Lala (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) had a double-double of 17 points (8-15 FG) and 11 rebounds (10 defensive) for Rowan. Junior guard Gina Catanzariti (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) netted 15 points (5-12 FG, 5-5 FT), grabbed four rebounds, with two assists and two steals.
Also for the Profs, senior guard Danielle Rohe (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) scored 13 points with four rebounds. Sophomore guard Alissa Lamey (Northfield, NJ/Mainland Reg.) had six assists, five rebounds and three steals.
The Profs took immediate control of the contest with a 17-4 lead over the Gothic Knights in the first 8:51 of the opening period. NJCU battled back and cut the lead to four points as Cunningham came off the bench and sank two three-pointers sandwiched around a three-point play on a layup and a foul shot by Fischer. NJCU drew within two, 19-15, when Johnson scored with 7:39 left in the half. The Profs responded, increasing their defensive pressure and extended their lead to nine at the intermission, 30-21.
NJCU made it a game early in the second half. After Jennings pushed Rowan's lead to 11, three baskets by Fischer, Cooke and a fast-break by Johnson cut it to five (32-27) and Cooke converted a layup and three-point play 2:17 into the second half to shave the deficit to four, 34-30.
But from there, Rowan began to pull away, using its better than 60-percent shooting in the stanza to gradually increase its lead. After Cunningham cut it to 40-33 with 15:45 left, Rowan scored eight of the next nine points to take a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. Catanzariti had two field goals to help make it 48-34.
The Rowan lead wouldn't grow larger than 14 until late in the game. Fischer kept NJCU alive with an offensive rebound and putback with 6:55 remaining as Rowan led by 11, 56-45. But the visitors extended the margin in the final minutes. Leading 62-49 with 3:55 to go, Rowan scored 13 of the game's final 15 points, and the final nine markers.
Rowan held a 40-22 margin in points in the paint; NJCU had a 24-8 difference in bench scoring. The Knights shot 27.9 percent overall (19-68) and 5-of-25 from three-point distance (.200).
NJCU returns to action on Wednesday, January 27 at 6 p.m. when it hosts #11 ranked William Paterson University (18-1, 6-1 NJAC). Rowan visits Rutgers University-Camden at the same time.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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|
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NJCU
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ROWAN
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Score
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51
|
75
|
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Half-Time Score
|
21
|
30
|
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Field Goal Percentage
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.279(19-68)
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.556 (30-54)
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|
Three-Point Percentage
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.200 (5-25)
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.600 (3-5)
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|
Free Throw Percentage
|
.571 (8-14)
|
.800 (12-15)
|
|
Rebounds (O-D-T)
|
17-19-36
|
7-36-43
|
|
Assists
|
7
|
18
|
|
Turnovers
|
22
|
25
|
|
Blocks
|
3
|
4
|
|
Steals
|
12
|
11
|
|
Fouls
|
17
|
16
|
|
Largest Lead
|
None
|
24
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
22
|
40
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
15
|
19
|
|
Second Chance Points
|
14
|
6
|
|
Fast Break Points
|
4
|
6
|
|
Bench Points
|
8
|
24
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