THE SERIES: In a series that dates to 1931-32, NJCU has won eight of the last 10 contests and leads by a 90-33 margin (known results only).
NJAC SEMIFINALS: NJCU (17-9) earned a berth in the NJAC semifinals for the first time since the 2006-07 season by rallying from seven points down with 2:10 to play for a 75-72 victory over Rowan University in an NJAC Quarterfinal game in Jersey City on Saturday, February 19. NJCU is the No. 2 seed in the NJAC North Division. Kean University (18-7), as the winners of the NJAC South Division and the No. 1 seed, received a bye into the semifinals.
In the other NJAC Semifinal tonight, NJAC North #1 Ramapo College (20-5), currently ranked No. 25 in the nation in the D3hoops.com, hosts NJAC North No. 3 seeded Montclair State University (19-7), 61-60 winners over NJAC South No. 2 in the other quarterfinal.
WHAT's NEXT?: The winner of this game faces the winner of Ramapo/Montclair State on Friday, February 25 at 7 p.m. If Ramapo wins, it will host the championship game. However, if Montclair pulls off the upset, the winner of the NJCU/Kean contest will host the finals.
NJCU IN THE NJAC HISTORY:NJCU has won a conference record 11 championships but none since 2004. The Knights are making their 25th appearance all-time in the NJAC Tournament with a record of 17-18 (.486) (35 games). NJCU is 15-9 all-time in home NJAC Tournament games (.625). NJCU is playing its 12th road game all-time in the tournament. The Knights are just 2-9 (.182) in road NJAC Tournament games and are seeking its first road win in the championship event since February 22, 1995 when then Jersey City State College ousted Trenton State College in Ewing, NJ, 77-69.
THE COMPARISON:
|
NJAC Team Per Game Stat Comparison: NJCU vs. Kean
Thru February 22, 2011
|
|
|
New Jersey City
|
Rowan
|
|
STATISTIC
|
RANK (of 10)
|
TOTAL
|
RANK (of 10)
|
TOTAL
|
|
Scoring Offense:
|
3rd
|
75.1
|
4th
|
72.7
|
|
Scoring Defense:
|
3rd
|
62.1
|
7th
|
70.4
|
|
Scoring Margin:
|
1st
|
+13.0
|
6th
|
+2.3
|
|
Free Throw Percentage:
|
1st
|
.693
|
2nd
|
.691
|
|
Field Goal Percentage:
|
6th
|
.434
|
7th
|
.432
|
|
Field Goal Percentage Defense:
|
1st
|
.393
|
9th
|
.437
|
|
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage:
|
6th
|
.317
|
5th
|
.333
|
|
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Defense:
|
5th
|
.318
|
6th
|
.335
|
|
Rebounding Offense:
|
2nd
|
38.8
|
4th
|
37.7
|
|
Rebounding Defense:
|
7th
|
35.5
|
5th
|
34.8
|
|
Rebounding Margin:
|
3rd
|
+3.3
|
5th
|
+2.9
|
|
Blocked Shots:
|
1st
|
4.5
|
9th
|
1.9
|
|
Assists:
|
2nd (tie)
|
14.2
|
1st
|
16.0
|
|
Steals:
|
1st
|
12.0
|
3rd (tie)
|
9.1
|
|
Turnover Margin:
|
1st
|
+6.08
|
4th
|
+1.00
|
|
Assist/Turnover Ratio:
|
1st
|
0.883
|
2nd
|
0.877
|
|
Offensive Rebounds:
|
2nd
|
14.0
|
3rd
|
13.5
|
|
Defensive Rebounds:
|
5th
|
24.8
|
6th
|
24.2
|
|
Defensive Rebound Percentage:
|
7th
|
.670
|
3rd
|
.689
|
|
Offensive Rebound Percentage:
|
4th
|
.375
|
5th
|
.361
|
|
Three-Pointers Field Goals Made/Game:
|
5th
|
5.2
|
4th
|
5.8
|
NJCU vs. KEAN, NJAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Tonight will mark only the third time NJCU and Kean have ever met in the NJAC Tournament and the first appearance in Union, NJ. NJCU is 2-0 against the Cougars in the NJACs, winning in 1992 and 2001.
|
NJCU ALL-TIME IN THE NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT (vs. KEAN)
|
|
DATE
|
RK
|
SITE
|
OPPONENT
|
LOCATION
|
W/L
|
NJCU
|
OPP.
|
RECORD (W-L)
|
MARGIN
|
|
2/29/1992
|
H
|
Kean College
|
Jersey City, NJ
|
W
|
76
|
68
|
1
|
0
|
8
|
|
2/21/2001
|
H
|
Kean University
|
Jersey City, NJ
|
W
|
71
|
69
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
NJAC CHAMPIONS BY SCHOOL: NJCU has won a record 11 NJAC championships, but seeks its first since 2004. Rowan has won 10 league crowns, but none since 1999.
|
NJAC CHAMPIONS BY SCHOOL
|
|
SCHOOL
|
# OF TITLES
|
YEARS
|
|
New Jersey City University
|
11
|
1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2004
|
|
Rowan University
|
10
|
1958, 1959, 1963, 1971 (tie), 1975, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1994, 1999
|
|
William Paterson University
|
10
|
1972, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2010
|
|
Montclair State University
|
9
|
1960, 1962, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 (tie), 1981, 1982, 2003
|
|
Richard Stockton College
|
6
|
1987, 1988, 1996, 1997, 2008, 2009
|
|
Kean University
|
3
|
1966, 1978, 1991
|
|
The College of New Jersey
|
3
|
1967, 1989, 1998
|
|
Ramapo College
|
2
|
2005, 2007
|
|
Rutgers-Camden
|
0
|
|
|
Rutgers-Newark
|
0
|
|
ALL-NJAC AWARDS: The 2010-11 NJAC All-Conference team was announced this morning and Kean senior forward Jonathan Jones (Linden, NJ/Linden) was the clear NJAC 'Pony Wilson' Player of the Year after dominating the league's scoring and rebounding totals this year. Now a three-time All-NJAC selection, he will be a viable candidate for National Player of the Year honors.
Kean reaped the awards. Freshman guard Michael Burton (Irvington, NJ/South Plainfield) was named the NJAC Rookie of the year and Cougar head coach Rob Kurzinsky was voted the “John K. Adams” Coach of the Year.
Junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter), in his first season at NJCU since transferring to the Knights after the 2007-08 season from Kean, earned Second-Team All-NJAC honors and senior shooting guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) earned Honorable Mention All-NJAC honors.
LAST MEETING: December 4, 2010 in Jersey City, NJ. Kean edged NJCU, 70-67. Kean University claimed an 11-point second half lead and held off a late surge by NJCU to win the only meeting between the schools during the regular season.
NJCU whittled the lead to one in the final moments, but Kean, which converted 6-of-8 from the line in the final 81 seconds, held on when the Knights missed a three on their final shot. NJCU struggled from three-point range, shooting just 3-of-18 (.167).
Jonathan Jones notched his sixth straight double-double to open the season with 25 points and 17 rebounds (13 defensive) in 34 minutes. He shot 7-of-13 from the field and 11-of-16 from the free throw stripe. It was his 18th consecutive double-double dating to the 2009-10 campaign. The 25 points were his second lowest output at that point in the season.
In all, three players scored in double figures for Kean. Junior guard Ali Mix (East Orange, NJ/East Orange) had 20 points off the bench, shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point distance. Michael Burton shot 8-of-10 from the line and finished with 12 points. Jones, Mix and Burton combined for 57 of Kean's 70 points and only three other players scored. Sophomore guard Mike Shaughnessy (Linwood, NJ/Mainland Regional) collected seven rebounds and five assists.
NJCU senior guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) netted a team-high 16 points in 17 minutes off the bench, while picking off six steals. He shot 8-of-8 from the line and 4-of-9 from the field and added two blocks.
Junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS in his first game against the Cougars, finished with 13 points and four steals in 25 minutes, shooting 4-of-9 from the field and 2-6 from long range. Sophomore guard ASHMERE WILSON (East Orange, NJ/Weequahic) contributed a career-best 10 points in 11 minutes.
Also for NJCU, sophomore forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) had nine points. Da'Shon Barrino finished with five assists.
NJCU shot 20-of-25 from the line—an 80.0 percent rate. Kean made 29-of-42 from the line (.690) and each school shot a tad over 36 percent from the field, but the Cougars had 13 offensive rebounds and managed a 10-0 advantage in second chance scoring.
Each team had a lead in the first half and the Cougars led 31-29 at the half after maintaining a one or two possession margin throughout the period.
In the second half, the Cougars, leading 38-34 with 16:33 on the clock, scored the next seven points for their largest lead of the day—an 11-point, 45-34 advantage. Livingston snapped a 5:03 scoreless drought with a steal and fast break basket.
When Livingston was fouled and hit both free throws with 2:25 left, the Knights clawed within two. Livingston then made a key steal at half court from Mix but the Knights could not tie it, missing three field goals on the same possession.
With 1:21 left Burton hit two foul shots; Livingston sank two of his own with 1:09 to play as Kean led 61-59. Mix converted a layup off a Shaughnessy feed with 59 seconds showing before Livingston scored his sixth straight point and NJCU once again trailed by two, 63-61. Burton hit one of two from the line and Livingston missed a three-point shot that could have tied it. With 28.2 left Burton buried two more foul shots and Kean was up 66-61.
NJCU still had some fight left. Williams fed junior center DASHAWN EAGLE (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) for a layup with 22.6 left and Jones missed the front end of two foul shots, before making the second. With 10.0 remaining, sophomore guard NAADIR WILLIAMS (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) cut the margin to 67-65 when he drove to the left post for a bucket but missed a subsequent free throw. Shaughnessy made one foul shot with 7.6 left for Kean, but missed the second. On a scramble for the rebound, Albright was fouled and with 6.8 seconds, calming sank two from the line as the deficit stood at one, 68-67. But Kirey made both his free throws with 5.4 to go and a KEITH WILLIAMS three-pointer from the left sideline did not fall as time expired.
LAST TIME OUT: On Saturday, NJCU trailed Rowan University, 70-63, with 2:10 remaining before the Knights scored seven points in 51 seconds and outscored the Profs 12-2 down the stretch, before ousting Rowan, 75-72, in a dramatic NJAC Quarterfinal game.
JAMES LIVINGSTON scored seven of NJCU's final 12 points, making four foul shots and a game-winning three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining. He made all six free throws he took in the game, including two with 2:10 remaining that trimmed the deficit to 70-65.
Rowan, the NJAC South No. 3 seed, could not score on its next possession and with 1:34 left, NJCU, after grabbing two offensive rebounds, buried a key three as junior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) drilled a triple from the left wing off a pass from junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS as the Knights cut it to 70-68.
Just 10 seconds later, junior small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT stole the ball from Rowan senior guard Sean Hughes (Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro), sending senior point guard Da'Shon Barrino slashing down court for a fast break layup, tying the game at 70-70 with 1:19 remaining, as a jubilant NJCU crown rocked the arena.
With 48.2 seconds left, NJCU rookie guard MICHAEL JOHNSON (Newark, NJ/Irvington) forced a jump ball with Rowan junior guard Akeem Johnson (Gouldtown, NJ/Bridgeton) and the Knights took possession. After a timeout, NJCU moved the ball around the perimeter before Williams fed Livingston on the right wing, where drilled the decisive three.
Johnson hit a jumper from the right of the lane with 9.5 seconds left to cut it to one, 73-72. But Williams inbounded the ball to Livingston, who was fouled and calmly sank both attempts from the line with 8.4 seconds left. A game-tying three opportunity by Hughes was wide with four seconds remaining and NJCU ran out the clock for the win.
In yet another balanced scoring attack for NJCU, four players scored in double figures and each netted a dozen points. Livingston scored nine of his 12 in the second half, including the seven during the decisive run. He shot 2-of-5 from the field, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 6-of-6 from the line with three steals and two assists. Abdullah added 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the line in 18 minutes.
Barrino made 5-of-6 shots and his only three-point shot, adding four assists. He is now second in the league to Livingston in free throw shooting. Williams made 2-of-5 from three-point distance (4-10 FG) and both foul shots, finishing with 12 points, four assists and three steals. NJCU senior power forward TOM MCDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored eight points, making 3-of-3 from the field, including only the fourth three-pointer of his career, and added five rebounds.
STILL HOT: NJCU has won 10 of its last 11 games and 14th in 17 contests.
LEADING THE LEAGUE: NJCU leads the NJAC in a league-best seven of 21 categories—scoring margin, free throw percentage, field goal percentage defense, blocked shots, steals, turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio. Ramapo and Montclair are in second place with four categories led.
WIN, BY A LOT: NJCU has won eight of its 17 games by at least 20 points this season. Furthermore, the Knights have posted wins of 30 or more five times and three routs by 50 points (56, 53, 51).
SCORING MARGIN: NJCU's scoring margin (+13.0) is 14th in Division III this season. In the NJAC, the margin is 4.3 more than the second place team, Ramapo College.
WE'LL TAKE THAT: NJCU is now No. 4 in Division III among 402 schools in steals at 12.0 per game. In the NJAC, the Knights are first in steals—2.2 per game more than Ramapo. KEITH WILLIAMS is the conference leader at 2.8 per game, ranking 21st nationally.
TAKE IT, DON'T GIVE IT: NJCUs turnover margin of +6.08 per game is a staggering 4.80 more per game than any other school in the conference. The College of New Jersey is a distant second at +1.28 per game. NJCU ranks No. 7 nationally in turnover margin. No other school in the NJAC ranks higher than 108th.
D-FENCE: NJCU leads the NJAC in field goal percentage defense (.393). The Knights rank No. 21 in the country as a team in the important defensive category. The Knights also rank 35th nationally in scoring defense (62.1). The Knights have limited an opponent to fewer than 50 points eight times this season.
LIVINGSTON LIVING IT UP: JAMES LIVINGSTON is living it up on the foul line over his last nine games. He is now the NJAC leader in free throw percentage at .855 (65-76) and in the win over Rowan, extended his free throws converted streak to 43-of-45. Da'Shon Barrino ranks third in the league in foul shooting (.833).
THE LINE: NJCU, for the first time in recent history, leads the NJAC in free throw percentage (.693). Kean (.691) ranks second and third. While Livingston and Barrino rank 1-3 in the league, KEITH WILLIAMS is eighth (.762). Kean does not have a player in the Top 15.
|
NJCU'S BEST FREE-THROW SHOOTING SEASONS SINCE 1962-63 (49 seasons)
|
|
YEAR
|
GAMES
|
FT-FTA
|
FT PERCENTAGE
|
|
1977-78
|
27
|
413-561
|
.736
|
|
1978-79
|
29
|
458-638
|
.718
|
|
1979-80
|
29
|
484-685
|
.707
|
|
1981-82
|
25
|
385-546
|
.705
|
|
1969-70
|
25
|
434-623
|
.697
|
|
2010-11
|
25
|
426-615
|
.693
|
NO AWARDS: NJCU's team is so balanced this season that no player has won an NJAC weekly Player or Rookie of the Week award because no one has accumulated enough statistics to warrant an award. KEITH WILLIAMS, NJCU's leading scorer at 11.0 per game, only ranked No. 16 in the NJAC. In contrast, Jonathan Jones, at 24.9 points (622) and 14.2 rebounds. (106-249-355) is a six-time NJAC Player of the Week and Michael Burton was NJAC Rookie of the Week three times.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONE: Jonathan Jones ranks No. 1 in the country in rebounding at 14.2 per game and fifth in scoring at 24.9. He also ranks No. 1 nationally with 24 double-doubles.
STUFF IT: NJCU's size and athleticism has helped the team lead the conference with 4.5 rejections per game.
HANDLING THE PRESSURE: Da'Shon Barrino is second in the league with a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio (63 assists, 41 turnovers); JAMES LIVINGSTON ranks third (57 assists,40 turnovers).
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
