New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

GALLOWAY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University and Richard Stockton College were knotted at 50-50 midway through the second half before the host Ospreys reeled off runs of 11-1 and 19-3 and scored 27 of the game's final 35 points to remain undefeated, sprinting past the Gothic Knights, 77-58, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game on December 5 at the Stockton Sports Center. The game was even at the half, 36-36.
 
Stockton (6-0, 4-0 NJAC) shot 57.1 percent in the second half (12-21) after making half of its first period shots (9-18) and owned a 53.8 percent success rate shooting on the night (21-39). Meanwhile, the Ospreys attempted more than twice the number of free throws that NJCU was granted (39 versus 18) and the hosts cashed in, making 30-of-39 from the stripe for a .769 percentage. Stockton also made half of its three point tries (5-10).
 
NJCU (2-5, 0-4 NJAC) starts a season at 0-4 in the NJAC for the first time since also beginning the 2002-03 campaign at 0-4. The Knights shot 41.7 percent for the game (20-48) but struggled in the second half, making just 7-of-21 (.333) and 1-of-9 from long range (.111) in the period after hitting 6-of-11 from three-point distance in the opening half (.545).
 
Other than this season and 2002-03, the only other year NJCU has ever opened a conference schedule with an 0-4 mark was in 1958-59. NJCU has been a member of the NJAC since it formed in 1957-58 and has never in its 55-year membership begun a league schedule with five straight losses.
 
Senior guard NAADIR WILLIAMS (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) was the only Gothic Knight to score in double figures, notching 12 of his career-high tying 16 points in the first half. He shot 5-of-10 from the field—all from three-point range—in 27 minutes.
 
Junior guard ASMAR EDWARDS (Paterson, NJ/John F. Kennedy) had nine points (2-5 FG, 5-7 FT) and five steals in 21 minutes and sophomore power forward DREW MARLEY (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) added eight points on 4-of-5 shooting while sophomore guard DAKWAN SIMMONS (Newark, NJ/University) shot 3-of-5 to finish with seven points.
 
Two-time and reigning NJAC Rookie of the Week KHALID MUHAMMAD (Orange, NJ/Orange) was held to a career-low four points (1-7 FG) and limited to 14 minutes of action while facing foul trouble (four). No Knight had more than three rebounds or two assists.
 
Stockton, playing without two starters due to injuries, did receive 64 of its 77 points from its starting lineup as four players reached double figures. The Ospreys and Ramapo College remain the only undefeated teams in the NJAC, overall and in the league.
 
Senior guard Darnell McCargo (Woodlynne, NJ/Collingswood) had Stockton's best effort with 17 points (5-9 FG), including 6-of-7 foul shooting, to go with six rebounds, four assists and four steals in 34 minutes. Junior guard Rich Suhr (Toms Rivers, NJ/Toms River East) tallied a game-high 18 points; he only shot 6-of-15 from the floor but made half of his three-point tries (3-6) and added three steals.
 
Also for the Ospreys, sophomore guard Jesse Hunt (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Boro) benefitted from his trips to the line, making 9-of-10, to finish with 13 points and junior guard Mike Perry (Mount Laurel, NJ/Peddie School) finished with 10 points (2-4 FG, 5-6 FT).
 
NJCU jumped out to an early 15-7 lead in the first half and that eight point margin was its largest of the game. Every time Stockton battled back in the first half NJCU managed to answer and after Stockton made it a one-point game with 2:44 to go in the half, Williams buried back-to-back triples (2:28 and 1:58) for a 36-29 edge. But Stockton scored the final seven points of the period—three from the line before a McCargo dunk and Hunt layup forced a 36-36 tie at the break.
 
Stockton scored the first four points of the second half to extend the run to 11-0 and moved in front by five points, 50-45, after a McCargo three-point play with 13:22 left. A jumper by Simmons and a three-point play with 11:41 remaining by senior center DAVID JONES (Millville, NJ/Cumberland Regional) forced the third tie of the night, 50-50.
 
From there, it was all Stockton. Leading 55-51 after four free throws, McCargo hit a three (8:03) and a jumper on the next possession for a 60-51 lead. Another foul shot with 6:36 left made it a 10-point game before Jones hit a jumper to end the scoreless drought and keep the deficit manageable, 61-53.
 
But Stockton began to pull away. A three by Perry made it 65-53 with 5:28 to go, a jumper by junior guard Rameel Johnson (Newark, NJ/Science Park) made it a 14-point lead and Hunt hit two from the line to make the lead 16, 69-53, with 4:41 to play, at the end of the 19-3 streak. NJCU couldn't mount a comeback and scored just five more points; Stockton's final margin was its largest lead of the game.
 
NJCU will seek to snap its conference skid when it hosts rival Kean University on Saturday, December 8 at 4 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. The Cougars are 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the league, but defeated previously undefeated Rowan University, 78-77, in other action on December 5.