New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Inside-the-Athlete feature, TYREL JOHNSON
GOTHIC KNIGHT INSIGHTS: Post-game interview with KHALID MUHAMMAD

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University shot 63.6 percent in the second half and led by a career-high 21 points from freshman shooting guard KHALID MUHAMMAD (Orange, NJ/Orange), snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating Susquehanna University, 62-51, in a non-conference men's basketball game on December 15 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court').

NJCU (3-7) wrapped up the fall semester portion of its schedule with its first home victory and shot 14-of-22 in the second half, using a strong inside presence and at times a smothering full court press to pull away from Susquehanna (3-7) in the first-ever meeting between the schools in Jersey City and third ever pairing.
 
The Knights owned a decisive 36-16 advantage in points in the paint and turned 21 Crusader giveaways into a 21-10 margin in points off turnovers. NJCU committed only six turnovers in the second half.
 
“Shooting 64 percent [in the second half] was big for us,” said sixth-year head coach Marc Brown. “That's what's going to carry us going into the second half. We haven't been shooting well all year. Shooting 60 percent is like shooting 100 percent for us. I'm happy we shot well and got out with the win.”
 
Muhammad bettered his previous career high of 19 points, becoming the first Gothic Knight to score 20 points in a game this season, by pouring in 14 in the second half and finishing 7-of-11 from the floor and a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line. Muhammad only missed one two-point shot, matched his career-high with eight rebounds and doubled his previous career best with four assists. He added two steals in 30 minutes.
 
Muhammad, a two-time New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week choice, reached double figures in scoring for the seventh time in the first 10 games of his career and led his club in scoring for the seventh time thus far.
 
“Defensively we were ok today, although people made some mistakes,” Brown added. “I thought our bench played well today, and KHALID MUHAMMAD. It's unfortunate that the freshmen are carrying us offensively. When he [Muhammad] plays well and scores we have a shot at winning. Unfortunately [due to injuries, graduation, and other losses], a lot of our offense is falling on his back, but that's just how it is.”
 
Sophomore power forward DREW MARLEY (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) scored six of his 10 points in the second half, shooting 3-of-7 from the floor on the day and 4-for-4 from the line while senior point guard NAADIR WILLIAMS (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) came off the bench to score all eight of his points in 12 minutes in the second half, as he  sank 3-of-4 from the field and knocked down both threes he tried.
 
Senior center DAVID JONES (Millville, NJ/Cumberland Regional) had a complete-game effort with seven rebounds, six points (3-7 FG) and three blocks. The Knights also received seven points (2-4 FG) from sophomore point guard DAKWAN SIMMONS (Newark, NJ/University).
 
Susquehanna rookie guard Brendon Hedley (Silver Spring, MD/Salisbury Prep) led the visitors with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 6-of-11 from three-point distance, adding seven assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Hedley was lights out in the first half, shooting 5-of-7 from the field—all from three-point distance—to score 15 of the Crusaders' 25 first period points. But he was largely contained in the second half when he scored just five more points on 2-of-8 shooting (1-4 3FG).
 
SU freshman forward/center Spencer Ortmyer (York, PA/Central York), who entered the contest as the Landmark Conference's  leader in field goal percentage (40-61, .656), scoring nine points in 31 minutes before fouling out, and was held to 3-of-7 shooting. No other Susquehanna player scored more than six points; junior guard Mike Perillo (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel), was credited with four helpers.
 
NJCU held an opponent under 60 points for the third consecutive game and the sixth time this season while limiting the opposition to fewer than 70 points for the ninth time in 10 outings, and Muhammad recognized it was the defense that really made the different in the win.
 
“It was a fight in the beginning but we had to stop making the simple turnovers and play harder on defense. We played harder and were more aggressive on offense and defense [today], getting back and playing help-side defense.”
 
Trailing by four in the early minutes of the second half, Muhammad drew NJCU within one on a strong baseline driving layup and free throw for a three-point play before sophomore guard DAVID COLE (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) picked off a pass and found Marley upcourt for a 14-foot fast-break jumper that put NJCU ahead, 28-27, with 17:55 left. The Knights would never trail again.
 
Like a viper NJCU struck for two baskets in 10 seconds—first, a Marley spin move layup before Muhammad stole the inbounds pass for two easy points and a 32-27 lead. As its press began to force SU into mistakes, the Knights capitalized. With 14:44 to play Williams drilled a three in front of the NJCU bench then with the shot clock winding down, he added a floater in the lane for a 39-30 edge at 13:41. Freshman MATT BREWER (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy) timed an aggressive play perfectly, sprinting to steal another inbounds pass before tip-toeing the baseline for two points and a 41-32 cushion at 12:44.
 
Hedley tried to rally the Crusaders, hitting back-to-back baskets on second chances, including his sixth triple of the game and 20^th point at the 12:12 mark to make it a six-point game (41-35), but he would not score again in the game and the visitors wouldn't get closer than four points, 43-39, at the 10:27 juncture.
 
From there, NJCU began to pull away behind Muhammad, who powered his way to the basket for a 45-39 lead, then hit a running jumper on the left baseline for his 16^th point and a 47-41 edge with 8:43 to go. SU missed its next three foul shots and suddenly the lead was nine, 50-41, with 5:52 to go when Muhammad found Williams waiting on the left arc where he buried his second trey.
 
SU tried to regain momentum when Ortmyer dunked home a ball at 4:53 to make it 50-44, but Simmons knocked down a three on the next possession (53-44) and with 2:06 to go he found Muhammad under the basket, dumping a pass down low to the rookie who went up for two and finished a three-point play to push the advantage into double figures, 56-46. NJCU's largest lead was 13, 61-48, with 1:08 left as the Knights iced the win from the line.
 
Early in the first half it looked like SU would jump ahead by a significant margin when the Crusaders used back-to-back threes by Hedley to highlight a 13-2 run to gain a 16-6 lead at the 11:35 mark. Muhammad, who scored seven of NJCU's first 11 points, kept the Knights in it and got contributions from Jones and junior forward TYREL JOHNSON (Jersey City, NJ/Marist), whose second offensive rebound and tip-in of the period made it a four-point game (21-17).
 
After NJCU had trailed 19-13, the Knights scored eight of the next 10 points and tied the game on a pair of Marley free throws at the 2:28 mark and again on a Jones layup (23-23) with 38.6 left in the half. Ortmyer hit a pair from the line with 7.2 on the board to send the Crusaders to the half ahead by a deuce.
 
NJCU will be idle for the next 18 days before returning to action on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. with a neutral court game against Valley Forge Christian College in the opening round of the 35^th Annual Greyhound Starters Classic at Moravian College.