BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...The College of New Jersey hit a key three with under a minute remaining in overtime and the Gothic Knights shot just 1-of-9 from the field in the extra session as the Lions outlasted New Jersey City University, 66-60, in one overtime, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon on “Coach Charlie Brown Court” at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. There were 12 lead chances and 11 ties in the matchup.
TCNJ (7-5, 1-2 NJAC) wins its third consecutive game and first in league play. NJCU (5-6, 1-2 NJAC) drops its fifth straight game since opening the year at 5-1. NJCU, playing its first overtime contest of the year, still owns a 66-40 series edge since the 1955-56 season.
The contest marked the first time NJCU has lost in overtime during the tenure of third-year head coach MARC BROWN (2-1). Despite the loss, NJCU is 36-16 all-time in overtime (.692), 25-9 in an extra period against NJAC opponents (.735) and an astounding 20-5 in overtime at home (.800) in its storied history.
For TCNJ, senior forward Aaron Syvertsen (Midland Park, NJ/Midland Park) finished with a game-high 22 points (9-16 FG, 2-6 3FG) and sank a triple with 58 seconds remaining in overtime that gave the Lions a 61-55 cushion and his team's eventual decisive points. He scored five of the Lions' 12 points during the extra period.
TCNJ senior guard Jay Frank (Brick, NJ/Brick) added 13 points (5-13 FG), with six rebounds and three assists. Entering the game with 993 points, he became the 21st player in TCNJ history to record 1,000 career points after he sank a foul shot with 2:56 left in the first half. TCNJ junior forward Steven Siracusa (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) finished with eight points and eight rebounds.
Freshman power forward ISAIAH JOHNSON (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) had a career and team-season high 17 rebounds (eight offensive, nine defensive).
Senior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) led NJCU in scoring with 13 points (3-9 3FG), adding three assists, while senior guard KYLE INGRAM (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) added 11 points (4-8 FG). Junior power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) had 11 rebounds (seven defensive), six points and two blocks.
The Lions had entered the game with the league's lowest field goal percentage defense (.479), but actually shot 47.9 percent itself (23-48) while limiting the Gothic Knights to 22-of-72 shooting (.306).
TCNJ scored the first five points of the game and moved in front 8-2 on a Syvertsen three before NJCU scored 10 of the next 13 points, moving ahead 12-11 on a McDermott offensive foul and tip-in. There were nine lead changes and five ties in the period. TCNJ led 21-19 with 3:32 left in the half before NJCU completed the period on a 9-1 run and led at the break, 28-22. The only point for the Lions was Frank's 1,000th point and Lopez hit a three with 1:36 left in the half to extend the lead to six.
In a back-and-forth second half, TCNJ shot 54.2 percent (13-24). After tying the game at 30-30, there were six total ties as neither club could gain a lead of larger than four for most of the half. TCNJ grabbed a 40-39 lead with 10:48 left in the half and continued to lead until Syvertsen and freshman guard Brandon Johnson (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) each converted a pair of free throws to extend the margin to five, 53-48, with 2:55 to go. Lopez hit two foul shots with 2:20 left to cut it to three (53-50) before junior small forward JOSH CAVER (Trenton, NJ/Pennsbury (Pa.)) grabbed a steal as NJCU pressed the Lions. Caver would miss before Johnson had an offensive rebound and putback to cut the deficit to one, 53-52.
After a TCNJ timeout, NJCU again effectively defended the visitors with its press as Johnson picked off Frank with 1:55 remaining. Then with 1:24 to go, McDermott put NJCU in front off a feed from Lopez. NJCU had scored six points in 56 seconds to gain a 54-53 advantage. Siracusa hit the front end of two foul shots with 1:17 remaining before missing the second to tie it at 54-54. McDermott was unable to convert a layup with 46 seconds left but NJCU regained possession after a turnover with 21.9 seconds to go. Frank stole the ball back with seven seconds remaining but NJCU poked it out of play with 1.1 on the clock. The inbounds pass from half court was intercepted by Johnson in the final second to force overtime.
TCNJ scored the first points of the extra session on a layup by Syvertsen and wouldn't trail again. Frank sank a jumper with 2:40 left for a 58-55 edge before Syvertsen buried what proved to be a decisive three-pointer as the Lions extended the lead to 61-55 with 57.7 on the clock. Ingram made it a three-point game with a three-pointer with 47.0 seconds left. Johnson made two foul shots with 45.6 to go. Sophomore center TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) finished with eight points and answered with two free throws with 35.3 seconds remaining to again cut it to three (63-60). But Frank was fouled and hit two free throws with 33.0 seconds left to move ahead 65-60, and TCNJ won by the final six-point margin.
The schools combined for 45 turnovers in the game but were only able to score 17 points off those giveaways.
NJCU is back on the court on Monday, January 11 at 8 p.m. in a non-conference against Lehman College in the Bronx, NY. TCNJ also plays a non-conference game that evening at 7 p.m. when it hosts Drew University in Ewing, NJ.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
|
Team Stat Comparison
|
|
|
NJCU
|
TCNJ
|
|
Score
|
60
|
66
|
|
Half-Time Score
|
28
|
22
|
|
Field Goal Percentage
|
.306 (22-72)
|
.479 (23-48)
|
|
Three-Point Percentage
|
.308 (4-13)
|
.308 (4-13)
|
|
Free Throw Percentage
|
.750 (12-16)
|
.640 (16-25)
|
|
Rebounds (O-D-T)
|
21-22-43
|
7-26-33
|
|
Assists
|
14
|
12
|
|
Turnovers
|
20
|
25
|
|
Blocks
|
2
|
2
|
|
Steals
|
12
|
10
|
|
Fouls
|
22
|
18
|
|
Largest Lead
|
6
|
6
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
28
|
24
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
9
|
8
|
|
Second Change Points
|
14
|
8
|
|
Fast Break Points
|
8
|
8
|
|
Bench Points
|
24
|
16
|
