New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University utilized another balanced scoring attack with six players scoring between seven and 10 points as the Gothic Knights improved to 8-1 after nine games for the first time since the 1989-90 season, as NJCU cruised to a 65-52 non-conference win over Lehman College on Wednesday night on “Coach Charlie Brown Court” at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
 
NJCU also won for the 20^th time in its last 23 games since going on a tear at the end of the 2010-11 season, while improving to 4-0 at home this year. NJCU has won 18 of its last 20 home games since 2009-10. Lehman (5-3) lost its second straight after winning five of its first six games, and suffered its first defeat by double figures.
 
NJCU won the seventh consecutive meeting between the schools and leads the all-time series, 9-1. The game was a makeup of a December 7 postponement that was originally scheduled as a Lehman home contest.
 
NJCU led by as many as 25 points with 11:44 left in the second half before its reserves played extensively. Overall, each of the 12 players who dressed saw considerable time for NJCU, with 10 scoring and 11 logging double digit minutes.
 
In a balance scoring effort, senior center MATT WASHINGTON (Hackensack, NJ/Paterson Catholic) led NJCU with 10 points, including 6-of-7 foul shooting, and eight rebounds in 17 minutes. Senior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) chalked up nine points (4-6 FG), six assists and five steals in 23 minutes.
 
Junior swingman WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter)  had his streak of consecutive games in double figures snapped at seven, but nearly had a double-double, finishing with nine points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.
 
Senior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) tallied nine points (3-5 FG) and five rebounds and junior point guard NAADIR WILLIAMS (Newark, NJ/Weequahic)  finished with seven points in 18 minutes off the bench as NJCU's reserves doubled the output of the Lehman bench, 32-16. Junior MICHAEL MORRIS (Burlington, NJ/Burlington City) also chipped in seven points.
 
The Lightning received a game-high 16 points from junior guard George Nimmons (Bronx, NY/All Hallows). He shot 6-of-13, and collected seven rebounds and five steals in 33 minutes. Sophomore guard Kevin Gil (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes) added nine points.
 
Junior forward Mathias Raggiotto (West Palm Beach, FL/John L. Leonard), who entered the game as Lehman's leading scorer at 16.6 per contest, was limited to four points (2-7 FG) in 25 minutes before fouling out.
 
NJCU trailed 16-14 with 9:17 left in the first half before unleashing a 15-2 run, capped by a three-pointer by NAADIR WILLIAMS that put the Knights in front 29-18 with 3:16 left in the period. Abdullah opened the streak with an offensive rebound and jumper to tie it, and a fast break slam to give the Knights the lead for good before Morris and KEITH WILLIAMS buried three-pointers and Morris swished a fast break jump shot for a 26-16 cushion.
 
NJCU had five players contribute at least five points in the opening 20 minutes—Abdullah, Albright, Morris, KEITH WILLIAMS and NAADIR WILLIAMS—and led by as many as 13 points (33-20, 2:04 left) on another NAADIR WILLIAMS shot, before taking a 33-23 lead into the intermission.
 
The Knights blitzed the Lightning in the first seven minutes of the second half, storming out to a 49-25 advantage after scoring 16 of the first 18 points of the second half. Six different players scored during the spurt and a fast break jam by junior swingman KAIHRIQUE IRICK (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) gave NJCU a 24-point cushion before a three-point play by Washington with 11:45 left extended the lead to its largest difference of the night, 52-27.
 
NJCU cruised to victory from there and led by at least 20 points until the final 63 seconds of the game when Lehman tallied late offensive contributions.
 
NJCU will continue its competitive first-half schedule on Saturday, December 17 when it hosts Nazareth College, a strong Empire 8 Conference opponent, in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The Golden Flyers are 5-3 overall but have defeated nationally ranked University of Rochester twice this season. Lehman hosts William Paterson University  on December 16 at 6 p.m.