BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...New Jersey City University led for more than 30 minutes in their quest to qualify for the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament, and received an enormous double-double of 32 points and 17 rebounds from sophomore forward EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus), but Ramapo College stayed alive in the playoff hunt by rallying to defeat NJCU, 71-66, in an NJAC North Division game at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on “Coach Charlie Brown Court.”
NJCU (7-16, 3-8 NJAC), with a win, would have clinched its first NJAC Tournament appearance since the 1988-89 season but does remain alive, even in defeat. Ramapo (10-14, 3-9 NJAC) climbed within a half game of NJCU for third place in the league with the final week of the regular season approaching.
NJCU can still qualify for the NJAC Tournament with either a road win against Montclair State University (February 15) or #8 William Paterson University (February 17). If that doesn't happen, NJCU needs Rutgers-Newark (8-15, 2-9 NJAC) to defeat Ramapo in Mahwah on February 17 to create a three-way tie for the final tournament berth, to force a pair of play-in games against the three schools.
NJCU and Ramapo split the season series. The Roadrunners still leads the all-time series, 29-26 but the Knights have won seven of the last nine meetings. The game was played as part of the seventh annual “Green and Gold Days” alumni event at NJCU; the Knights are 0-7 all-time during the Homecoming activity.
Cunningham, who was just three points shy of her career high of 35 achieved on December 12, scored 26 of NJCU's first 45 points, before finishing with 32 points (11-31 FG, 3-10 3FG, 7-10 FT) and 17 rebounds (12 defensive). She notched her second 30-point and sixth 20-point performance of the season. It was also her ninth career 20-point showing, 11th career double-double and fifth double-double of the season. The 17 rebounds were a season high and three shy of her career best.
Freshman forward Meghan Reilly (Morganville, NJ/Marlboro) led the Roadrunners with 23 points (10-16 FG), adding seven rebounds (five defensive) and two assists.
Also for the Gothic Knights, freshman point guard ASHLEY FREEMAN (Paterson, NJ/Passaic Tech) notched 15 points (6-14 FG), with three steals and two assists in 21 minutes, playing much of the contest in four trouble. Freshman guard PRIA DUHANEY (Union, NJ/Orange) netted six points, along with six rebounds (five offensive) while freshman point guard and two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week LATIFAH JOHNSON (Newark, NJ/University) contributed six points, three steals, and two assists.
The Roadrunners also received 16 points, 11 rebounds (eight defensive), and five assists from freshman guard Alexa Ryan (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) who had her first career double-double. The 11 boards were a career high. Junior guard Stephanie Cannizzaro (Pequannock, NJ/Pequannock) netted 11 points, with five rebounds (four defensive), three blocks, three steals and two assists. Junior center Danielle Beam (Middletown, NJ/Middletown North) had nine rebounds (six defensive), six points and four blocks.
NJCU lost despite committing a season-low 10 turnovers—its best ball control since committing only eight giveaways on December 21, 2006 versus City College of New York.
The Gothic Knights never trailed in the first period, playing aggressive defense, while knocking down 15 shots (15-36, .417). Cunningham scored 18 of her points in the period on 7-of-14 shooting, while staking the hosts to a 35-32 margin at the break.
A three by Freeman with 12:01 to go in the period made it 14-9 and NJCU extended the lead to six on three occasions in the middle of the opening stanza, including a triple by Cunningham with 6:57 left for a 26-20 cushion. A steal and fast-break bucket by Johnson 4:55 before the break gave the Knights a seven point lead.
Cunningham bagged another three with 16:46 remaining in the second half for a 42-34, eight-point lead, matching the largest of the night. After a layup and three-point play by Cunningham with 15:32 remaining, which gave the hosts a 45-38 advantage, NJCU was held without a field goal for the next 3:22, until Cunningham scored her 29th point of the game with 12:10 left. But RCNJ had used an 8-2 run to close with 47-46.
Ryan, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds in the second half alone as RCNJ shot 14-of-28 for the period (.500) and limited the Knights to .178 shooting (8-45), gave Ramapo its first lead of the game, 54-53, with 9:41 left. NJCU made five of six free throws in a 1:50 span to reclaim a 58-54 margin; Cunningham made two foul shots for her 31st point with 9:01 left but only scored one point the remainder of the game. Johnson also sank two free throws.
The Knights looked to make it a six-point lead, as Duhaney came up with a steal, but Cunningham could not convert on the layup. Reilly answered with a fast-break layup of her own, and sophomore forward Lindsey Gripenburg (Butler, NJ/St. John's University) hit two free throws to tie the contest at 58-58. Freeman gave NJCU was proved to be the final lead of the night with 5:48 remaining, making the front end of two free throws.
With 5:37 left, Ryan put the Roadrunners ahead to stay with a layup and Reilly sank a jumper (4:49 to go) and two foul shots (3:07) for a 64-59 edge before Cannizzaro added two more freebies with 2:42 left as RCNJ scored eight consecutive points for a 66-59, seven-point advantage.
It all came down to missed shots for NJCU. After Johnson scored with 11:07 remaining, the Knights missed 19 consecutive shots over a span of 9:05, before Freeman drilled a three from the right corner with 2:02 remaining to cut the deficit to three (66-63). A jumper by Reilly made it 68-63 with 1:04 to go before a Duhaney foul shot and Freeman layup shaved the deficit to three, 69-66 with 37 seconds remaining.
RCNJ, was solid from the line most of the night, scoring 25 of its 71 points from the stripe (25-38, .658), but gave the Knights life by missing four straight foul shots in the final minute. But NJCU, which shot 2-of-29 from the field in the final 11 minutes, could not tie it, as RCNJ held on to win by five.
NJCU will next visit Montclair State on Monday, February 15at 6:00 p.m. in a make-up of last Wednesday's contest which was postponed due to snow. Ramapo hosts host Rutgers-Newark on February 17 at 5:30 p.m.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Team Stat Comparison
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NJCU
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RAMAPO
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Score
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66
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71
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Half-Time Score
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35
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32
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Field Goal Percentage
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.284 (23-81)
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.451 (23-51)
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Three-Point Percentage
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.192 (5-26)
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.000 (0-6)
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Free Throw Percentage
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.536 (15-28)
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.658 (25-38)
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Rebounds (O-D-T)
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22-23-45
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11-42-53
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Assists
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8
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14
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Turnovers
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10
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24
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Blocks
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1
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10
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Steals
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13
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7
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Fouls
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26
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24
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Largest Lead
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8
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7
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Points in the Paint
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30
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34
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Points off Turnovers
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18
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14
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Second Chance Points
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13
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8
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Fast Break Points
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10
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6
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Bench Points
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10
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20
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