New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University committed 30 turnovers and in a game where each team shot just 26 percent from the field, Rutgers-Newark converted the Gothic Knights giveaways into a 28-3 margin in points off miscues as the Scarlet Raiders defeated NJCU, 47-31, 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.”
                  
In the final regular season game of the 2011-12 season, NJCU closes its 42^nd year of competition with a record of 4-21 and 0-13 in the NJAC. The Scarlet Raiders improve to 17-7 and 8-5 in the NJAC and lead the all-time series, 40-21. 
 
Newark, which had clinched an NJAC Tournament berth prior to the game, became the No. 3 seed out of the NJAC North Division with the win, coupled with Montclair State University's win over Ramapo College as the Red Hawks grabbed the No. 2 seed. Rutgers-Newark will travel to The College of New Jersey, the two seed in the South Division on Saturday, February 18 for a first round playoff match.
 
In defeat, sophomore forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) notched her ninth career double-double and sixth of the season, collecting 11 points (4-13 FG) and a game-high 10 rebounds (seven defensive), with just three turnovers in 38 minutes.
 
Junior forward DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) chipped in 11 points, five rebounds (four defensive) and three assists. Junior guard GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) and junior forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) each had six rebounds.           


For the Scarlet Raiders, sophomore ShaQuanna Marshall (Paterson, NJ/Paterson Catholic) finished with a game-high 13 points (4-13 FG, 3-11 3FG). She made three three-pointers and had five rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes.
 
Senior guard Brittany Smith (Salem, NJ/Salem) came off the bench to add seven points, seven steals and six rebounds (four offensive) and rookie forward Jade Howard (Sicklerville, NJ/St. Joseph's) supplied six rebounds, five points and two steals in 24 minutes of play. Senior forward Lori Nieves (North Plainfield, NJ/North Plainfield) had six points and four assists.          
 
NJCU shot 26.5 percent for the game (13-49) and 1-of-8 from three-point distance (.125), but the Scarlet Raiders weren't much better, making 26.8 percent of its shots (15-56) and 4-of-26 from three-point range (.154).
 
NJCU had a difficult time dealing with Newark's stifling full-court press and committed 21 turnovers in the first half and the Raiders led 25-8 at the intermission. NJCU shot 4-of-26 in the period (.154), compared to 9-of-29 for the guests (.310).
 
The Raiders never trailed in the game. NJCU was within one, 7-6, with 13:12 remaining but was held without a field goal over the next 11:03 until Hernaiz scored again with 2:09 to play. NJCU missed 14 straight shots and committed 12 turnovers during the drought, but only trailed 21-8 as Newark faced its own scoring dilemmas. In all, NJCU went 1-for-16 from the field and committed 16 turnovers in the final 13 minutes, and trailed by 17 at the intermission.

Newark's press was left effective in the second half as the Raiders began picking up fouls and NJCU improved from the field, shooting 9-of-23 in the period for 39.1 percent. Meanwhile, Newark's shooting decreased (6-27, .222) but its 17 point lead proved to be too much to overcome. A Smith three-pointer with 12:27 to play gave the visitors a 40-20 lead—its largest of the night—and NJCU was unable to draw closer than a dozen points (43-31, 4:03) late in the game.