New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University shot 58.1 percent in the first half (18-31) to claim a nine-point lead and maintained that advantage in the second period as the Gothic Knights snapped a nine-game losing streak with a decisive 73-60 non-conference  road victory over the College of New Rochelle on January 21.
 
NJCU (4-14) registered its highest scoring total of the season and won for the first time since defeating Kean University (56-49, OT) on December 8. The Blue Angels (5-10) had a two-game winning streak end.
 
NJCU posted its second highest field goal percentage of the season, shooting .475 from the field (29-61). Take out NJCU's three-point shooting (1-10, .100) and the Knights were good on 28-of-51 or 54.9 percent of its two-point attempts.
 
Three players reached double figures for NJCU, led by sophomore point guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) with 14 points on 6-of-13 FG with five assists and five steals before fouling out in 32 minutes. She had her 13^th double-digit scoring effort in 18 games as a Gothic Knight and led the club in both scoring and assists for the ninth time this year while producing at least five assists for the third time. She netted 10 points in the first half.
 
Freshman guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) equaled Vazquez' team high of 14 points,   stablishing a new career best by shooting 7-of-14 overall with six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 32 minutes. Briggs reached double figures for the third time in her career and had 12 first half points.
 
Junior forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington), the leading rebounder in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, registered 10 points (4-6 FG), six rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three assists in 19 minutes. She was 2-of-2 from the line and has now converted 21 of her last 24 free throws since January 9.
 
Also for NJCU, rookie center DESEREE JOHNSON (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional) tallied eight points (3-6 FG), six rebounds and five steals. Sophomore guard JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic) added seven points, four steals and three blocks and senior guard GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) tacked on seven points. In all, nine of 10 NJCU players who saw action converted at least one field goal.
 
“Kiana [Briggs] got us off to a great start in the first half,” praised second-year head coach Amy Mulligan. “Our defensive pressure was what kept us ahead and allowed us to keep control. We had great contributions from the entire team in one way or another with a key steal, basket or stop. That is the type of team effort we need—game in and game out. We really buckled down the last two minutes of the game to keep and maintain our lead.”
 
For the Blue Angels, sophomore guard Alyssa Pechin (Yonkers, NY) had a game-best 21 points (5-17 FG), primarily from the line where she made 11-of-13, and added five steals, to overcome nine turnovers in 37 minutes.
 
Freshman center Jasmine Brandon (Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony) shot 7-of-17, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals while sophomore forward Tra'Leassa King (Yonkers, NY) tabulated 10 rebounds (seven defensive) and eight points (4-8 FG). Freshman guard Lynesia Cox (Patterson, NY) collected nine points (2-4 FG; 5-10 FT) and six boards.
 
The two schools combined for 56 turnovers but NJCU compensated by producing an assist on 17 of 29 made baskets with 22 steals and seven blocks.
 
Vazquez scored five of NJCU's first seven points as the Knights built a 7-0 lead. CNR led for one possession in the half (10-9, 12:45). The Knights moved back in front and leading 13-12 with 11:05 left in the period, NJCU unleashed a 15-2 run over the next 5:23 to seize a 14-point, 28-14 advantage. Vazquez hit a three at 7:59 to make it 22-14. Her fast break layup off a Hernaiz steal capped the run during which five players scored and Hernaiz had two baskets.
 
NJCU led by as many as 14 points on five occasions in the second half, including a jumper by Johnson with 1:35 to play that made it 36-22 before the Knights took a 39-30 advantage into the locker room.
 
Two quick baskets by Brandon and Cox in the opening minute of the second half whittled the NJCU advantage to five, 39-34 and the visitors clung to a 43-37 edge before pushing the lead back to 10. CNR was able to draw as close as seven at three more junctures, the last one coming at the 12:47 mark (51-44).
 
But NJCU began to pull away thanks to an 11-1 run. Free throws by Hernaiz and field goals by Johnson (55-44) and Vazquez (57-44, 10:54) started the streak before a layup by Briggs made it a 14-point cushion. Senior guard/forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) scored her sixth point of the contest (3-4 FG) on a fast break feed from Briggs to extend the differential to 16, 61-45. Johnson sank a foul shot with 8:59 to go to give NJCU its largest lead at 17 points (62-45).
 
Five technical fouls were issued after a tie up with 7:49 left in the second half and with NJCU leading by 15, Hernaiz and Briggs were disqualified from the contest. Pechin hit four technical free throws to close within 11 points, 62-51. With 24 points out of the contest and Vazquez fouling out with 4:07 to play, the Knights had to hold onto its advantage without 38 of its 65 points.  But the remainder of the roster was able to limit the damage and close out the victory. CNR could not draw closer than eight points in the final minutes before the Knights prevailed by 13.
 
NJCU is back in action for the first time since January 12 when it hosts Rutgers-Newark on Wednesday, January 23 at 6 p.m. in an NJAC game at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.