New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Gothic Knight Insights, JADE MEDLEY

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior point guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) scored all 18 of her points in the second half after early first half foul trouble sidelined her and helped stake New Jersey City University to an 18-point cushion it would need to overcome a late rally by John Jay College, before NJCU edged the Bloodhounds, 62-56, in the 2013-14 home opener at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'
 
NJCU (1-2) wins its first game as John Jay (0-1) dropped its season opener. NJCU led 54-36 with 3:58 remaining after an 8-0 run capped by back-to-back threes by sophomore forward DESEREE JOHNSON (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional) and Vazquez.
 
John Jay hit a trio of three-pointers in the final four minutes and scored 20 of the final 28 points but NJCU's margin was too much to overcome. NJCU out-rebounded the visitors, 52-35, including 16-8 on the offensive glass.
 
Vazquez only played two minutes in the first half after picking up a pair of quick fouls but never sat in the second period and did not commit another violation in the final 20 minutes.  What she did do was notch 18 of NJCU's 33 points in the period (6-15 FG), including a pair of triples (2-5). She reached double digits in scoring for the 21^st time in 28 games at NJCU.
 
Johnson recorded a career scoring high for the second straight game—her third career effort of double-digit scoring—by knocking down half of her shots (4-8 FG), including 3-of-5 from three-point territory to finish with 13 points, eight rebounds (seven defensive) and five steals.
 
Reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week BRIA SMITH (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) hauled in a game-best 12 rebounds (nine defensive) and was a point shy of a double-double, finishing with nine points (4-6 FG), two assists and two steals.
 
Sophomore guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) collected eight points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. Freshman guard JENNIFER KRYZINSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had a strong effort with seven points and five rebounds.
 
"We had great overall play from our players off the bench," noted third-year head coach Amy Mulligan. "When Ashley saw [foul] trouble, KIANA BRIGGS played big-time minutes. We were also able to cycle through our players on the bench and get valuable time from them, including Jen Kryzinski and MESHA LAGUERRE who we are working with for our backup point guard."
 
"KIANA BRIGGS' overall play and composure coming in during Ashley's foul trouble were key," said Mulligan. "She was able to come in and wasn't afraid to take shots which was something that we needed."
 
Three players scored in double figures for John Jay. Tyana Hale and Kaitlin Fitzgerald each netted 17 points. Fitzgerald was 6-for-12 from the floor and 5-of-10 from three-point distance while Hale shot 6-of-14 and made two threes (2-4), adding five rebounds and three steals.
 
Two-time All-CUNYAC pick Jamecia Forsythe had a double-double of 13 points (5-9 FG) and 11 rebounds (nine defensive) to overcome eight turnovers. But the bench scoring was key as JJC only received one point from its reserves—an 11-1 differential.
 
NJCU committed 16 first-half turnovers but was able to head to the break tied at 29-29 as the Knights scored nearly half of their points in the period from the line. NJCU was 12-of-15 from the stripe, good for 80 percent in the period.
 
There were nine lead changes in the first 20 minutes and five more ties. JJC twice held five-point leads in the period but neither side could gain a larger margin. Hale and Fitzgerald combined for 19 of the guest's 29 first half points while seven Gothic Knights contributed in the point column.
 
"I think there were definitely too many turnovers for us, but we did well holding the ball at key points and keeping our composure which is something that we stress," Mulligan said.
 
But NJCU unleashed a 10-0 run in the first eight minutes of the second half to claim a 39-29 advantage, with Vazquez scoring seven consecutive points during the spurt.
 
JJC did not score in the half until a Forsythe layup with 11:41 remaining and then was held without another field goal for another 4:30 span midway through the period. NJCU needed that shortage because the Knights also were held off the scoreboard for more than three and a half minutes until Johnson buried a three with 7:01 to go and Vazquez increased the lead to a dozen with just over six minutes to play. Threes by Vazquez and Johnson with 4:34 and 3:58 to go pushed the lead to 18—54-36— and that was enough to hold off the late John Jay surge.
 
NJCU opens its 2013-14 NJAC schedule on Saturday, November 23 at 1 p.m. when it visits Ramapo College at the Bradley Center in Mahwah, NJ.