New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) recorded her second career double-double, but Montclair State University used a stifling defense and hot second half shooting while turning 25 NJCU turnovers into 23 points as the Red Hawks downed the Gothic Knights, 68-51 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball game on Wednesday night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'        
 
Montclair (9-6, 1-4 NJAC) won for the 16^th straight meeting between the schools as NJCU (3-10, 0-4 NJAC) lost its fifth in a row. MSU currently leads the all-time series 47-3.
 
In a first half where NJCU and MSU traded three ties and three lead changes, Montclair built a 29-20 halftime advantage. NJCU wasn't able to put two successful halves of basketball together in yet another loss, as MSU outplayed the hosts for much of the second period before leading by as many as 26.
 
MSU committed just 11 turnovers in the game and converted the Knights giveaways into a 23-4 margin in points off turnovers. MSU also out-rebounded the Knights on the offensive glass, 19-14 and collected 17 second-chance points.
 
Montclair, rookie forward Sara Farrell (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) finished with a team-high 14 points (6-8 FG), five rebounds and three assists in 25 reserve minutes.  Rookie guard Janitza Aquino (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) matched her with 14 points (5-12 FG),
 
Rookie forward Melissa Tobie (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) added 10 points (2-5 FG), six rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals, despite playing 20 minutes after picking up two early fouls. Senior guard Jaime Ericson (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) finished with a game-high 11 rebounds, adding nine points. Freshman guard Jenny Malone (North Plainfield, NJ/Roselle Catholic) dished seven assists and picked off four steals.
 
In defeat, Kaminski, who netted her first double-double of the season, had 14 points (6-12 FG) and 10 rebounds (eight defensive). Sophomore forward MARIA SUAREZ (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) was a spark off the bench for the Gothic Knights, finishing with 13 points (4-11 FG) and five rebounds in 25 minutes.
 
Also for NJCU, freshman point guard LUISA MONTALVO (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) came off the bench to score 10 points. Sophomore forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington)   had nine rebounds, six points and two steals. Junior forward DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) had a solid all-around game, contributing seven rebounds, six points, a team-high five assists in 35 minutes. 
 
NJCU scored seven of the first nine points before Montclair took its first lead with 11:26 to play in the opening period. Tobie (8), Ericson (7) and Farrell (7) scored 22 of MSU's 29 first half points and Farrell put the guests in front 19-14 before a three by Ericson made it an eight-point, 24-18 contest. Farrell later scored off an offensive rebound for the nine-point lead at the break.

Montclair scored the first seven points of the second half, pushing the lead into double figures and changed its defensive scheme to a full-court press which limited the Knights' offensive opportunities. With MSU ahead by 12, 38-26, the Hawks put the game out of reach with a 19-6 spurt that built a 57-32, 25-point advantage with 8:30 to play. MSU junior guard Michelle Montagna (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) sunk a three-pointer to make the score 60-34 for its largest lead of the night (26 points) before winning by 17.
 
NJCU heads to Galloway, NJ on Saturday, January 14 for a 1 p.m. NJAC game against Richard Stockton College. Montclair heads south as well for a date with Rutgers University-Camden at the same time.