New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

EWING, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University trailed 34-17 at halftime and struggled to find its shot all night as The College of New Jersey won a 66-31 New Jersey Athletic Conference women's basketball contest on February 11, at Packer Hall.
 
Third-place TCNJ improves to 17-7 and 11-4 in conference play while NJCU (5-19, 1-14 NJAC) drops its fourth straight, while playing its final road game of the season.
 
The Lions need a win over unbeaten and #5 Montclair State University coupled with a William Paterson University loss to Ramapo College on Wednesday night to earn a bye in the opening round of the NJAC Tournament.
 
NJCU hit just 7-of-29 from the field in the first half (.241) and finished making 20.3 percent overall (12-of-59) and 2-of-21 from three-point distance (.091). The Lions never trailed and converted 41.5 percent (22-of-53) from the field—including nine three-pointers (9-23, .391)—while connecting on 13-of-18 foul shots.
 
In defeat, NJCU was led by rookie guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) with seven points, four rebounds and three assists. Seniors DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) and MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) each scored six points while freshman center DESEREE JOHNSON (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional) grabbed six rebounds (four defensive).
 
TCNJ was led by junior Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) with 13 points (4-9 FG), including 3-of-6 from three-point range, while adding four rebounds and two assists. She was one of three TCNJ players to reach double figures. Sophomore Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) tallied 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and 3-of-4 three-point accuracy with three rebounds and three assists.
 
Junior Kelly Roddy (Belmar, NJ/St. Rose) contributed 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3FG), three rebounds, three steals and two assists. Senior Candace Vigo (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick Science and Tech) supplied eight points, three rebounds, two blocks, two assist and two steals.
 
The Lions dominated play early on as they jumped out to leads of 11-4, 18-7, and 25-9 before building a 17-point advantage at the break, 34-17. The Lions outscored NJCU, 32-14, in the second period, when the Gothic Knights were limited to 5-of-30 shooting (.166) from the field. TCNJ's largest lead of the game was 39 points with 2:50 left in the second half.
 
NJCU will conclude its 2012-13 campaign on Wednesday, February 13 at 6 p.m. against Rutgers University-Camden in a conference contest at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. It will be Senior Day and NJCU will honor KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg), Chernez, Kaminski and GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades).