New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman guard/forward JADE MEDLEY (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) came off the bench and scored 12 of New Jersey City University's first 34 points to help propel the Gothic Knights to their first victory of the season and gave first-year head coach AMY MULLIGAN the first victory of her NJCU career in a 71-36 win over the College of New Rochelle on Wednesday night on “Coach Charlie Brown Court” at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
 
In the first meeting in almost 31 years between the schools, NJCU snapped a nine-game losing streak dating to the end of last season, improving to 1-5. The Blue Angels fell to 4-5 with the loss. NJCU leads the all-time series, 2-0; it was the first meeting between the teams since January 19, 1981.
 
The 35-point margin of victory was its largest since a 41-point road win on January 17, 2011 at City Tech and its most lopsided home decision since a 40-point win over Ramapo College, 86-46, on February 6, 2008.
 
Medley, who has shown significant improvement as the season has progressed, came off the bench in both halves and helped NJCU surge out to a 34-15 halftime lead. NJCU held a 33-8 advantage in bench scoring and out-rebounded CNR, 57-31, including 26-12 on the offensive glass where the Knights had a 25-9 advantage in second chance scoring. The Knights grabbed a rebound on 26 of 45 missed shots in the game. NJCU outscored the Blue Angels 36-12 in the paint.
 
The Knights also handled the ball much better. Averaging 27.4 turnovers per game coming in, NJCU committed just 14 and picked off 15 steals while forcing 24 giveaways. The Knights turned that into a 25-8 margin in points off turnovers and an 18-2 edge in fast break scoring.
 
Medley scored all 12 of her points in the first half, shooting 5-for-9, including 5-for-8 in the first half. She added five rebounds, four steals and two blocks in 17 minutes of action.
 
Rookie point guard LUISA MONTALVO (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) finished with 10 points (5-11 FG), five rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes while junior forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds and had seven points (3-5 FG) in 18 reserve minutes.
 
Sophomore forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) had eight points and seven rebounds, including five offensive caroms. Junior MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) shot 4-for-6 with eight points and five rebounds while junior guard GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) contributed eight points (4-9 FG) and four assists. All 12 players who dressed played double figure minutes and 10 scored.
 
“I think in the first half, Jade really helped us out,” noted Mulligan. “Her rebounds on the defensive end helped us to force the tempo.”
 
New Rochelle rookie point guard Alyssa Pechin (Yonkers, NY/Our Lady of Victory Academy), came into the game averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game and was held to nine points, shooting 3-of-14 from the field. She did make 3-of-6 from three-point range and added five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Rookie forward Tra'Leassa King (Yonkers, NY/Our Lady of Victory Academy) chipped in a team-high 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Sophomore forward Janine Jones (Jamaica, NY/Martin Van Buren) finished with eight points.

NJCU shot ­­41.6 percent for the game (32-77) while New Rochelle was limited to ­­­­­24.1 percent from the field (14-58). CNR made all five free throws it took.

NJCU never trailed in the game and surged out to an 18-4 lead when Cassarello scored on the fast break 8:22 into the game. CNR got a close as eight points on a three by Pechin before Medley and junior forward DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) combined to score 11 of the Knights' next 13 points. Medley, whose anticipation led to several steals, jumped in front of a pass with 3:09 remaining in the first half and took the turnover the length of the court for a 20-point lead, 33-13. NJCU led by 19 at halftime and cruised to the victory from there, leading by as many as 38 points with 1:10 left (70-32) in the second half. Cassarello had 10 rebounds in the second period.
 
“I think this game was a full-on team-win,” said Mulligan. “The biggest thing I've been pushing with this team is to understand what being a team is. If they can come out with that mentality each game, we will pick up more wins.

NJCU looks to pick up their second win of the season when they host the City College of New York in a non-conference game on Saturday, December 10 at 2 p.m. New Rochelle hosts Berkeley on December 8 at 7 p.m. in New Rochelle, NY.