BOX SCORE
BROOKLYN, NY (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman guard/forward player MARIA SUAREZ (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) scored a career-high 26 points in just 26 minutes and grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds for her second straight double-double as New Jersey City University won its first game of the women's basketball season with a 70-51 triumph against Medgar Evers College in a non-conference road game on Monday night.
The Gothic Knights only trailed on the opening possession of the game and led by as many as 25 points, as first-year head coach SANDRA NUNEZ DATES registered her first career victory after eight seasons as the assistant coach of the team.
NJCU improves to 1-2 overall and 7-0 all-time in the series with the Cougars (0-4). It was the first meeting between the clubs since November 20, 2004 and the first game in Brooklyn since December 14, 1994.
Suarez shot 12-of-17 from the field and had seven of her 12 boards on the offensive glass, while picking off four steals. Senior guard CAROLINA GARCIA (Plainfield, NJ/Franklin) chalked up 14 points, shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 2-of-5 from three-point distance, with three assists.
Sophomore point guard NIDIA CARMONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) collected a career-best eight assists and added three steals. Sophomore point guard NIDIA CARMONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) finished with seven points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Freshman forward BRITTNEY EDWARDS (Newark, NJ/Newark Tech) powered her way to nine rebounds in 17 minutes of reserve action.
Medgar Evers junior guard Chantal Biscette (Brooklyn, NY) finished with a double-double of 20 points, 15 rebounds and five steals but shot 9-of-28. Sophomore forward Jaide Lewis (Brooklyn, NY) added 16 points (6-19 FG), five assists, three blocks and three steals.
Freshman forward Ranisha Venzen (Brooklyn, NY) also had a double-double with 11 points (5-9 FG), 11 rebounds (nine offensive) and four steals. The remainder of the team accounted for just four points.
NJCU led 37-21 at halftime, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and finished the game making 30-of-78 (.385) and 4-of-8 from three-point range. The Cougars were limited to 20-of-72 shooting for the contest (.278). NJCU held a 17-0 advantage in bench scoring. NJCU outrebounded the hosts, 60-46.
There were two early ties after NJCU gained the lead at 18:56 and the Knights held a 14-13 edge with 14:09 remaining in the first half before Garcia drilled a three, Suarez sank two four shots and Carmona hit a jumper, and NJCU gained a 21-13 lead with 12:02 left in the half. A Suarez layup made it 30-17 before Carmona picked off a pass and turned the steal into a fast-break jumper when Garcia connected to make it 36-21. NJCU's 16-point halftime lead was its largest margin of the period.
The lead gradually expanded in the second half and reached 25 points, 52-27, with 14:18 on the clock as Carmona turned another steal into transition points, with Suarez finished the layup. Suarez hit another jumper for a 54-29 point lead and the Knights continued to lead by 25 with 10:31 left before prevailing by 19.
After the Thanksgiving holiday, NJCU will return to the court when it makes its 2010-11 home debut on Sunday, November 28 at 12 p.m. when it hosts NAIA-opponent Madonna University of Livonia, Michigan.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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|
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NJCU
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MEDGAR
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Score
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70
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51
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Half-Time Score
|
37
|
21
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Field Goal Percentage
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.385 (30-78)
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.278 (20-72)
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Three-Point Percentage
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.500 (4-8)
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.286 (2-7)
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Free Throw Percentage
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.545 (6-11)
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.600 (9-15)
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Rebounds (O-D-T)
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25-35-60
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21-25-46
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Assists
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17
|
8
|
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Turnovers
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26
|
26
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Blocks
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8
|
7
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Steals
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16
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14
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Fouls
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18
|
13
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Largest Lead
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25
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2
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Points in the Paint
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34
|
28
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Points off Turnovers
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20
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16
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Second Change Points
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22
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12
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Fast Break Points
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6
|
2
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Bench Points
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17
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0
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