New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score UNION, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Kean University scored 33 points off 24 Gothic Knight turnovers and the Cougars amassed a 24-0 run between the late first half and early second period as New Jersey City University lost its third straight New Jersey Athletic Conference game following a 2-0 league season start in a 71-50 setback to Kean on January 4 at Harwood Arena. Kean led 34-25 at halftime and outscored NJCU by the same margin in the second half.
 
NJCU, which had not committed more than 19 giveaways in a game this year, had 12 in each half as the Knights (6-5, 2-3 NJAC), picked second in the NJAC's preseason coaches' poll, fell for the fifth time in six games after a 5-0 season start. Kean, picked eighth in the same poll, improved to 7-3 (3-2 NJAC) and won for the third time in four games.
 
NJCU had entered the day as the league leader in turnover margin but Kean, which held a 33-11 margin in points off turnovers, had 15 steals—its most since picking off 18 at Moravian College on January 11, 2011.
 
The loss spoiled a solid effort by senior small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) who reached the 900 career point plateau and posted his 48^th career double-digit scoring effort, pouring in a team-high 16 points (7-11 FG, 2-3 FT) and eight rebounds in 34 minutes. He shot 7-for-8 from two-point range.
 
Sophomore shooting guard KHALID MUHAMMAD (Orange, NJ/Orange) finished with 10 points, eight rebounds (seven defensive) and three assists, but struggled from the field (3-12 FG, 0-5 3FG) and committed a career-worst eight turnovers. Senior point guard JAHMILL JENKINS (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) tallied eight points (3-7 FG, 2-4 3FG) and three assists.
 
Kean's Ali Mix shot 7-of-14, including 3-of-4 from three-point distance, to garner a game-best 19 points, adding three steals. Xavier Fuller added a double-double of 12 points (4-8 FG, 4-4 FT) and 10 rebounds (eight defensive) in 24 minutes and Tommy Soulias chipped in 12 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3FG). Michael Burton delivered six points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in a full 40 minutes.
 
Kean shot 8-of-19 from three-point range for 42.1 percent and 81.3 percent from the line (13-16) while limiting NJCU to 3-of-16 three-point accuracy (.188).
 
The first half was a consistently back-and-forth affair with the clubs trading six ties and three lead changes and neither side led by more than four in the first 18 minutes. A fast break basket by Jenkins with 5:28 to play gave NJCU a 25-22 advantage.
 
But Kean held NJCU scoreless for the next 8:14 and unleashed a 24-0 run—the final 12 points of the first half to claim a 34-25 lead and the first 12 points of the second half, culminating in a 46-25, 21-point differential with 17:29 remaining.
 
Kean's Mike Diamond played only eight minutes, but scored seven of the host's 12 points to close the first half, including a tip-in basket with 55 seconds left and a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Soulias, Tim Steward, Mix and Burton accounted for the 12 points to open the second half with Mix and Soulias hitting back-to-back threes. NJCU committed six turnovers in the final 3:30 of the first half and four during the opening dozen points Kean scored to begin the second half.
 
The 21-point margin was Kean's largest of the game—something it matched four other times including the final score—and NJCU couldn't draw closer than 11 points (59-48, 2:49) the rest of the day.
 
NJCU will return to home court action on Wednesday, January 8 at 8 p.m. when it hosts Montclair State University in NJAC action.