New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Inside-the-Athlete feature, DESEREE JOHNSON

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University shot 17.2 percent in the first half to fall behind 29-15 at halftime and never led as Manhattanville College won a 64-49 non-conference women's basketball contest on Saturday afternoon, December 15, at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'

Manhattanville, which received 49 of its 64 points from just three players—matching NJCU's output in the game—doubled the Gothic Knights production in the paint, dominating to the tune of a 40-20 scoring advantage. M-Ville (5-3) shot 51.9 percent in the second half when it edged the Knights (3-8), 35-34.
 
NJCU made just 5-of-29 from the field in the first half and finished making 28.1 percent overall (18-of-64) and 4-of-16 from three-point distance. The Valiants converted 41.7 percent (25-of-60) from the field, to overcome 2-for-15 three-point shooting (.133).
 
In defeat, NJCU was led by sophomore guard JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic), who reached double figures for the third straight game, scoring a career-high 14 points, including two three-pointers. She shot 6-of-8 from the free throw line in 24 reserve minutes. Regarded as perhaps the top player on the Gothic Knight women's volleyball team, the two-sport athlete led the women's basketball team in scoring for the first time in her career.
 
Manhattanville was led by 6-foot-1 sophomore center Alyson Caiazzo (Brooklyn, NY/St. Saviour) who scored 18 of her career-high 27 points in the second half. Caiazzo shot 12-of-16 overall in 36 minutes while adding 14 rebounds (nine defensive), four blocks and four steals to dominate the contest.
 
Senior guard Taylor Wilson (Pearl River, NY/Pearl River) nearly netted a triple double as she had 13 rebounds (nine defensive), 10 points and eight steals in 34 minutes. Sophomore guard Bri Pabon (Newington, CT/Newington) tallied 12 points, six steals and five assists in 38 minutes.  No other Valiant player scored more than five points.
 
Also for NJCU, sophomore point guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) scored in double figures for the eighth time this season, finishing with 10 points, four assists and two steals.
 
Freshman forward JIANA CLARK (Cheltenham, PA/Cheltenham) came off the bench to supply a career-high nine points and six rebounds while playing in a personal high 21 minutes. Junior forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) tallied seven points and seven rebounds.
 
“It was a tough shooting game for us but the girls gave a great effort,” said second-year coach Amy Mulligan. “Offensively, we weren't able to get it done in the first half.”
 
 “Jade [Medley] had another strong game for us and we saw some great play from Jiana [Clark] who played strong on both ends of the floor,” said Mulligan.
 
The Valiants dominated play early on as they jumped out to a 23-6, 17-point lead in the first 13 minutes before building a 29-15 lead at halftime. Manhattanville converted 13 points off the Gothic Knights' 15 miscues in the first half and scored 16 of its points in the paint during the period.
 
NJCU did not quit and Medley, Vazquez and Clark combined to score 23 points in the final 20 minutes. Both teams traded baskets for the first eight minutes of the second half until Hernaiz hit a layup with 12:17 to play to spark a 9-2 run that saw the Knights pull within six points, 40-34, with 9:53 when she would score another layup in the paint on a second chance. Vazquez also knocked down a three during the run.
 
NJCU's momentum was cut short as Caiazzo would score the next six points to extend Manhattanville's lead to 46-34 to play and the Valiants were able to extend the lead to as many as 15 points on five occasions in the final five minutes, including the final differential.
 
NJCU returns to action on Wednesday, December 19 at 6 p.m. when it hosts the United States Merchant Marine Academy at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center in a non-conference contest. USMMA is 4-4 overall.