New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

GALLOWAY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University, minus its leading scorer in junior swingman KAIHRIQUE IRICK (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck), could not maintain a 10-point first half lead, and despite never trailing by more than eight in the second half, was unable to overcome Richard Stockton College, as the Ospreys won a defensive battle from NJCU, 55-48, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Stockton Sports Center.
 
NJCU suffers just its third loss of the season, dropping to 12-3 overall and 3-2 in the NJAC. Stockton, the leader in the NJAC South Division, improves to 4-1 in the league and 10-6 overall. The Knights lead the all-time series, 41-29. Both teams shot under 37 percent from the field.  NJCU had its three-game winning streak snapped.
 
Only two players reached double figures for NJCU as the Knights shot 36.4 percent (16-44) and 5-of-17 from three-point distance (29.4 percent) without Irick, who has scored 20 or more six times this season. Irick, averaging 17.1 per game, was unavailable after suffering an injury in practice on Friday.
 
Without him, senior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) was the team's top scorer with 11 points (3-5 FG) and five rebounds while junior swingman WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) supplied 10 points (3-7 FG), making both three pointers he attempted. He grabbed four rebounds before fouling out.
 
Senior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) had nine points, four assists and three steals in 38 minutes but shot 3-of-11 (1-for-6 three-pointers). Senior center MATT WASHINGTON (Hackensack, NJ/Paterson Catholic) added nine points (3-5 FG; 3-5 FT) and six rebounds.
 
Stockton was led by sophomore guard Kevin Johnson (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) with a game-high 13 points.  Johnson went 7-8 at the line, including 6-6 in the last five minutes, and Stockton finished 18-22 (81.8 percent) at the stripe for the game.
 
Senior forward DiAndre Brown (Sicklerville, NJ/Camden Co. Tech) also reached double digits with 11 points for the Ospreys (5-for-12) and six rebounds. Junior forward Bill McDonough (Spring Lake, NJ/St. Rose), at 6-foot-7, was the only Stockton player who could match up with NJCU's frontcourt size, and finished with seven points and a game-high nine rebounds.  Stockton forced 23 turnovers, including 14 in the second half.
 
Abdullah scored seven early points as NJCU raced out to a 16-6 lead in the first seven minutes.  Stockton rallied into a 23-23 halftime tie as the Gothic Knights put just seven points on the board in the next 13 minutes. Sophomore guard Rich Suhr (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) led the hosts with six first-half points.
 
Stockton took control in the second half as New Jersey City struggled offensively.  After Albright tallied the first three points of the period, the Gothic Knights went scoreless for seven minutes.  McDonough scored five points during an 11-0 run that gave the Ospreys a 34-26 advantage.  NJCU whittled the lead down to one (34-33) when Williams sank a three with 7:05 to play.
 
Stockton won despite shooting .333 overall (17-51) and 3-for-14 from three-point territory (.214). The Ospreys made 13-of-14 foul shots in the second half.
 
Stockton moved back in front by eight again at 41-33 on a jumper by Suhr at the five-minute mark. After the teams each hit a pair of free throws, Albright sank two three-pointers and a free throw during a 7-2 spurt that brought NJCU within 45-42 with 2:48 on the clock.  Stockton stayed in front by getting a couple of baskets in transition and shooting 6-for-6 at the line down the stretch, including 4-for-4 by Johnson in the last 1:16 to clinch the 55-48 triumph.
 
NJCU will put its 7-0 home record and 18-game home court winning streak on the line on Wednesday, January 18 at 8 p.m. when it challenges William Paterson University, the current leader in the NJAC North Division (13-2, 5-1 NJAC).