For the Lions, sophomore guard Hannah Tait (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) scored 11 points and had eight rebounds (five defensive). Freshman center Candace Vigo (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick Health Science Tech.) had 10 points, eight rebounds (seven defensive) and two blocks. Also netting 10 points was junior forward Kelsey Kutch (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough), pulling down seven rebounds (five defensive).
After trading the lead several times early in the game, TCNJ moved in front 16-9 with 9:08 remaining in the period after an 8-8 tie. Back-to-back fast-break baskets by Cunningham and Johnson off steals cut it to three with 7:23 to go. Cunningham sank a triple with 3:34 to go, making it a one-point game (21-20). TCNJ upped the margin to five just 1:54 before halftime. However, Cooke drilled a three with 55.6 left in the first half to send the game to the intermission with the Lions ahead by just one, 26-25.
Neither team scored in the first 2:35 of the second half before Cunningham tallied a lay-up and finished a three-point play to put NJCU in front for the first time since 15:20 remained in the first period. TCNJ tied it and Vigo gave the visitors a 30-28 lead before Freeman turned two consecutive steals into four points in a matter of 24 seconds for a 32-30 lead. Cunningham made it 33-30 with one foul shot with 14:40 left and freshman forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) sank a jumper with 13:49 left for a 35-32 edge.
But TCNJ would score 18 of the next 19 points as NJCU was held without another field goal until Kaminski had a lay-up with 2:35 remaining. Over that span of 11:14, the Knights missed 14 consecutive shots.
Kutch had two layups to put the Lions back on top, 36-35, before a free throw by Cunningham tied the game at 36-36 with 12:32 to go. But from there, TCNJ reeled off its 14-0 run. Tait hit a three, and Kutch made two foul shots, for a 41-36 lead. Baskets by sophomore guard Jessica Imhof (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) with 9:38 and 5:56 left, sandwiched around a layup by Vigo pushed the advantage to 14, 50-36, and NJCU couldn't draw closer than 10 the remainder of the game.
Both schools return to action in NJAC home games on Wednesday, January 13 at 6 p.m. NJCU will host Montclair State University while the Lions are in Ewing, NJ against Rutgers University-Camden.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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|
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NJCU
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TCNJ
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|
Score
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44
|
55
|
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Half-Time Score
|
25
|
26
|
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Field Goal Percentage
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.298 (17-57)
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.392 (20-51)
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|
Three-Point Percentage
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.364 (4-11)
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.222 (2-9)
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|
Free Throw Percentage
|
.375 (6-16)
|
.765 (13-17)
|
|
Rebounds (O-D-T)
|
10-19-29
|
13-33-46
|
|
Assists
|
8
|
6
|
|
Turnovers
|
18
|
27
|
|
Blocks
|
5
|
3
|
|
Steals
|
17
|
8
|
|
Fouls
|
15
|
14
|
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Largest Lead
|
15
|
3
|
|
Points in the Paint
|
22
|
32
|
|
Points off Turnovers
|
22
|
14
|
|
Second Chance Points
|
3
|
8
|
|
Fast Break Points
|
19
|
6
|
|
Bench Points
|
8
|
23
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