New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

BETHLEHEM, PA (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | While New Jersey City University has struggled at times to score during the 2012-13 campaign, it's defense has been consistent and at times, smothering. An 18-day break did nothing to change that fact on Wednesday night. Rookie shooting guard KHALID MUHAMMAD (Orange, NJ/Orange) notched his first career double-double and NJCU overcame a sub-30 percent shooting night of its own by allowing an opponent season-low 46 points as the Gothic Knights opened the 2013 portion of its schedule on January 2 with a 51-46 neutral court victory over Valley Forge Christian College in the opening round of the 35^th Annual Greyhound Starters Classic at Moravian College.
 
NJCU (4-7) wins its second consecutive game while facing VFCC (7-5) for the first time. The Patriots lost their third straight after winning seven of their first nine games this year.
 
The 46 points were the fewest allowed by NJCU in a game this season and the fourth consecutive contest in which the Knights have limited an opponent to fewer than 60 points. In all, NJCU has held an opponent under 60 points seven times this season and only one has reached 70 points.
 
NJCU will face host Moravian—63-54 winners over fellow New Jersey Athletic Conference member Kean University in Wednesday's early game—in the championship game on Thursday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m. NJCU and Moravian have met just once before—a one-point win for the Greyhounds in the 1984 Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro championship game.
 
The Knights shot below 30 percent in a game for the fourth time this season and the third time in four games, but won for the first time that has happened since January, 2004. The Knights shot 26.3 percent in the first half (10-38) but improved slightly in the second period to finish at 29.7 percent (22-74) for the night. NJCU shot 3-of-19 from three-point distance (.158) but the Patriots were just 1-of-9 (.111) from that far.
 
Meanwhile, NJCU dominated the glass—specifically on the offensive end. A 52-39 edge on the boards was highlighted by a 26-7 differential on the offensive window as the Knights secured another chance on 50 percent (26-of-52) of its missed shots. NJCU scored 18 second-chance points in the win.
 
Muhammad led NJCU in scoring for the eighth time this season and rebounds for the sixth game—reaching double figures on the scoreboard for the eighth time in 11 games to open his career. The three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week notched 16 points on a career-high 26 shots attempted (8-26 FG; 0-8 3FG) without a free throw opportunity but battled through a rough shooting night with an aggressive presence on the glass, grabbing a  career-best 11 rebounds (six offensive) in 34 minutes.
 
Muhammad scored 12 of his 16 in the second half when he accounted for nearly half of NJCU's 26 points.
 
The 26 field goal attempts were the most by an NJCU player since all-time Gothic Knight great Mark Washington attempted 30 on January 9, 2005 at then #22 Lebanon Valley College.
 
Also for NJCU, sophomore point guard DAKWAN SIMMONS (Newark, NJ/University) reached double figures for the second time this season, knocking down 3-of-8 from three-point distance (4-11 FG) to finish with 11 points while doubling his previous career high in rebounding with eight (six defensive) and a pair of assists.
 
Sophomore power forward DREW MARLEY (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) tallied nine points, making half of his shots (4-8) and senior center DAVID JONES (Millville, NJ/Cumberland Regional) chipped in seven rebounds and two steals. Junior guard ASMAR EDWARDS (Paterson, NJ/John F. Kennedy) finished with three steals and two blocks
 
The Patriots lone double figure scorer was junior guard Lance Harris (Baltimore, MD) with 11 points (4-11 FG) and a team-high eight rebounds in 38 minutes. Freshman guard Dominic Cain (Willingboro, NJ) added nine points, matched Harris with eight caroms and blocked three shots.
 
NJCU forced VFCC into 20 turnovers and capitalized for a 24-10 advantage in points off giveaways.
 
While happy with the victory, sixth-year head coach Marc Brown admitted that the coaches are surprised with the continual limited scoring.
 
“We're not shooting well as a team for the year. We tried to simply the offense and try to go inside for easier shots. But we are missing layups and can't score points. Guys are open; offensive sets are getting guys open, but we're just missing shots. We're playing hard though.  Khalid scored in the second half when we really needed some points and that was the difference.”
 
“Defense isn't an issue for us. We're playing good enough defense to have a successful season. The offense is the issue; we have no offensive firepower. We need a few more games like NYU where the shots went in. We are getting good looks—they're just not going in.”
 
The first half was close throughout as there was six lead changes and three ties. Trailing 14-12, the Knights used a 12-2 burst, highlighted by a pair of triples from Simmons, including a trey with 4:36 to go that gave NJCU its largest lead of the half, 24-16. The Knights led 25-21 at the break.
 
VFCC would keep it close through much of the second half. NJCU led 34-26 with 15:26 left on a bucket by Marley before the Patriots scored the next eight points to draw even, 34-34, on a basket by sophomore guard Kevin Mack (Philadelphia, PA). Another tie ensued at 37-37 with 10:04 to play.
 
But Muhammad took over from there, scoring 10 of NJCU's next 14 points, including six in a row that allowed the Knights to push a 45-41 margin to 10 points, 51-41, with 1:20 remaining. The Knights held off the opposition late to prevail by five.
 
“They had guys with talent,” Brown said, praising the effort of Valley Forge Christian. “For a small Christian school this was a good team—better than I thought they would be and they had some talented players.”
 
NJCU and Moravian tip off tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the championship game. It will be NJCU's second championship game in as many tournament appearances this season; the Knights fell to host Nazareth College, 64-58, on November 17 in Rochester, NY in the finals of the Nazareth Tournament.