New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Gothic Knight Insights, JESSIE NELSON
GOTHIC KNIGHT INSIGHTS: Post-game highlight video (with Coach Amy Mulligan, BRIA SMITH and ASHLEY VAZQUEZ)

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) had a sensational all-around game, finishing with 14 points, six assists, six steals and six rebounds and the Gothic Knight  defense held an opponent to fewer than 60 points for the sixth time this year as NJCU wrapped up the 2013 portion of its schedule with an impressive 65-54 non-conference women's basketball victory over Centenary College (NJ) on December 21 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
NJCU (4-6) had three players score in double figures and used its defensive intensity to force 31 Cyclone turnovers as Centenary fell to 4-5. NJCU committed 23 turnovers, mostly in the second half, but picked off 16 steals and had a decisive 26-14 differential in points off giveaways.  Three of NJCU's first four wins this season have come by double figures.
 
Vazquez reached double digits in scoring for the 28^th time in 35 games at NJCU, shooting 7-of-16 overall and a blazing 7-of-8 from two-point territory in 37 minutes of action. She had eight first half points—including six in a row during a key stretch of the opening period that put NJCU in front for good.
 
Sophomore shooting guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) reached double figures for the eighth time this year, notching a game-high 15 points (5-9 FG, 4-4 FT) with two assists in 28 minutes.
 
Three-time time New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week and forward BRIA SMITH (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) was a rebound shy of her sixth double-double of the season, settling for 14 points (4-13 FG), nine rebounds (seven offensive) and five steals in 29 minutes.
 
Sophomore forward DESEREE JOHNSON (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional) returned after missing her last game with an injury and contributed eight points, including 2-of-5 three-point shooting, with two steals. Junior shooting guard JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic) collected seven rebounds and three assists.
 
Centenary rookie forward Mallory George (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston) equaled game highs with 15 points (6-13 FG) and nine rebounds, adding three steals in 34 minutes. Freshman forward Kelsey Barofski (White Township, NJ/Belvidere) contributed 10 points (5-11 FG), six rebounds, two assists and two steals while sophomore guard Ally Fugnitti (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Wood-Ridge) collected nine points.
 
Early in the first half, Centenary controlled the tempo, twice leading by five, including 13-8 (12:42) on a jumper by Fugnitti. Her three with 10:19 to go in the half made it 18-14 and a Barofski layup with 9:13 to play gave the Cyclones its largest lead, 20-14.
 
NJCU, which enjoyed its second best free throw percentage of the season, making 15-of-24 (.625), sank six consecutive foul shots—the final two by freshman guard JAZZ RANDALL (West Orange, NJ/West Orange), who scored all six of her points in the first half, to tie the game at 22-22 with 6:33 to play.
 
After Centenary regained a two-point lead, Vazquez took over—scoring six consecutive points, including back-to-back steals and full-court fast break layups that tied the game (3:21) and gave NJCU its first lead (3:01) at 26-24. Her jumper off an offensive rebound at 2:28 pushed the lead to four and her nifty pass under the basket to Randall at the buzzer gave NJCU a five-point, 30-25 advantage at the half.
 
NJCU finished the period on an 8-1 run and did not allow an opposing field goal for the final 6:12 during which the Cyclones committed eight turnovers. While Centenary had a substantial first half field goal percentage advantage, 50.0 percent (10-20) to 25.7 percent (9-35), the Cyclones committed twice as many turnovers (18-9).
 
Early in the second half, NJCU put the game away. Smith had two early baskets and Medley drilled a three to increase the lead to double digits for the first time at the 16:23 mark, 39-29. Centenary was able to draw within five points on two occasions, the final time being 41-36 with 13:33 to play before NJCU amassed an 8-2 streak. Baskets by Vazquez and Johnson thrust the lead back to double digits, 49-38 with 9:09 left. After Johnson buried a triple with 7:17 to go, NJCU led by double figures nearly the entire rest of the contest. Its largest lead came with 1:47 left on a steal and fast break bucket by Vazquez for a 16-point, 63-47 differential.
 
After a 14-day break, NJCU is back in action on Saturday, January 4 at 3 p.m. in an NJAC game at Kean University at Harwood Arena in Union, NJ.