HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior guard Kiana Briggs (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) sparked New Jersey City University to a 10-3 run to open the second half as the Gothic Knights separated themselves from Bryn Athyn College, prevailing 67-49, in the opening round of the Centenary College Tip-Off Tournament on November 15 at the John M. Reeves Center.
 
NJCU (1-0) will face host Centenary in Sunday's championship game; the Cyclones routed Penn State University Wilkes-Barre, 70-30, in the other tournament opening round contest.
 
Leading 29-27 at the half over Bryn Athyn, a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference, NJCU shot 51.7 percent in the second period (15-29) to pull away. The Knights notched 77.8 percent foul shooting in the win (14-18).
 
Briggs led four NJCU players in double figures, notching a game-high 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting while contributing eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in 34 minutes. She scored 12 in the second half. Senior point guard Mesha Laguerre (Union, NJ/Union) registered a career-high 13 for the Knights, knocking down 5-of-6 shots off the bench, including all three three-pointers.
 
Power forward Bria Smith (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy), the 2014 New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, had a strong sophomore debut with 10 of her 13 points coming in the second half. She added seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals.  
 
The last time Jade Medley (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic) stepped on a court, November 2, she became the fourth member of the NJCU women's volleyball 1,000-kill club. The two-sport standout scored 12 points for the Knights in the win. Meanwhile, freshman guard Irelynn Donovan (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) scored eight points in her collegiate debut.
 

In defeat for the Lions, Kristina Clark had 16 points (4-14 FG) and six rebounds and Bianca Feliciano (4-12 FG) added 13 points and seven boards. BAC shot 30.8 percent from the field (16-52) and 4-of-14 from three-point distance (.286) while committing 17 turnovers.
 
NJCU led by as many as seven points in the first half before the Lions rallied and grabbed a brief lead in the final moments before Laguerre buried back-to-back threes in a span of 39 seconds to put NJCU back on top for good to help cap an 8-0 streak.
 
The Knights scored the first six points of the second half, extending the two-period run to 14-2, while claiming a 35-27 advantage on another Laguerre basket. Two jumpers by Briggs and a steal and jumper from Smith pushed the differential into double figures, 43-32, with 14:56 remaining.
 
BAC was able to draw within eight points before two baskets by Briggs assisted by Laguerre, who also scored in between the two contributions, put the Knights in front by a dozen, 54-42 with 10 minutes to play and NJCU was never challenged again. NJCU held BAC scoreless for 6:48 and unleashed a 12-0 spurt that thrust the Gothic Knight lead to a game-high 20 points, 62-42, when Donovan buried a triple with 4:31 to play. 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Amy Mulligan (fourth season)
 
On the difference in the second half: "Our defensive intensity was the difference in the game and also our up-tempo play in the second half. We moved the ball well and found the open person."
 
On individual contributors: Kiana played solid and was a great leader today for us. Mesha Laguerre got us going in the second half and really pushed the tempo for us. Jade was instrumental on defense and Bria Smith had a strong game."
 
OF NOTE:

• First-ever meeting between NJCU and Bryn Athyn.
• NJCU was opening its 45^th season of women's basketball
• Kiana Briggs scored in double figures for the 19th in her career and 16^th time in her last 26 games.
• Jade Medley collected her 21^st career double-digit scoring effort.
  • Bria Smith reached double figures in scoring for the 16th time in 26 career games.
  • Mesha Laguerre's previous NJCU career high was nine points at Rowan (December 4, 2013).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU will face Centenary, a member of the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) in the championship game. NJCU and the Cyclones last met on December 21, 2013 in Jersey City—a 65-54 win for the Knights. NJCU leads the all-time series, 6-1. The schools last met in Hackettstown on December 3, 2012, which was the Cyclones' lone win against NJCU (52-46).