JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Brooklyn College used a 12-0 run early in the first half to seize control of the game and behind the highest individual opposing scoring effort in four years defeated New Jersey City University, 88-73, in its 2014-15 men's basketball home opener at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on 'Coach Charlie Brown Court' on November 19.
 
Brooklyn (2-1, won 2), which took New Jersey Athletic Conference rival William Paterson to overtime in its season opener, received a 36-point outburst from junior swingman Egzon Gjonbalaj, who netted 18 in each period and finished shooting 12-of-19 from the field (3-8 3FG) and 9-of-12 from the line while adding six boards, three blocks and three steals in 34 minutes. It was the most points in a game by an opponent since City Tech's Nathaniel Young poured in 44 points on January 17, 2011.
 
Brooklyn had five players in double figures in the win and connected on 11 three pointers (11-28, .393), while making 17-of-25 from the foul line.
 
NJCU placed three men in double figures and shot 42.3 percent overall (30-71), but couldn't get in a rhythm from three-point distance, making just 4-of-20 (.200). The Gothic Knights also struggled from the line at 42.9 percent (9-21).
 
In defeat, senior forward Drew Marley (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) had a team-high 14 points with two blocks and shot an impressive 7-of-9 from the field. Junior small forward Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) contributed 13 points in 21 minutes in his first start of the year but struggled at times, shooting 5-of-17 (1-6 3FG).
 
Freshman small forward Eddie Harris (Port Reading, NJ/Woodbridge) came off the bench to notch his first double-figure scoring effort with 11 points on 5-of-10 attempts. Nine other players scored for the Knights but none had more than six points.
 
NJCU was without its leading scorer in the early going—senior transfer Neville Joseph (Newark, NJ/West Side)—who sat out with an injury at 13.0 points per game.
 
For Brooklyn, 6-foot-8 center Valon Djombalic was a tough match-up with NJCU's center in foul trouble as he produced a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds (eight offensive) and six assists.
 
Also for BC, Steven Diaz tallied 12 points—all on 4-of-7 three-point accuracy—and three assists in 19 reserve minutes. Jai Kellman had 11 points and three assists while Lorenzo Williams tallied 10 points (4-8 FG) and seven defensive rebounds.
 
With NJCU in early foul trouble ahead, 6-3, the Bulldogs used a 12-0 run to take control. A fast break dunk by Kellman got the run going before three pointers by Jamel Gist (nine points) and Diaz pushed the advantage to nine, 15-6. Another three by Diaz pushed the margin to 10 (20-10) with 11:10 left in the opening half.
 NJCU was able to draw within five points (29-24) as sophomore forward Chris Freeman (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic Christian) (four points) converted a pair of baskets. But BC produced 10 of the next 12 points with six points coming from Gjonbalaj to gain its largest lead of the first period, 39-26 with 1:40 to go in the half. Brooklyn, which shot 8-of-12 from the line in the first half, went to the break ahead by 12, 46-34.
 
Gjonbalaj scored 18 in the first half (7-11, 2-5 3FG) and the Bulldogs converted 6-of-16 from three-point distance while NJCU struggled to find its rhythm from long range (1-8, .125).
 
The teams traded five threes to open the second half and when senior guard Jourdan Roberson (Brooklyn, NY/University (Newark)) and Muhammad buried a pair of triples in a span of 23 seconds, NJCU whittled the deficit to six, 58-52 with 14:55 to play.
 
But BC countered, and a three from Kellman at 13:35 pushed the opponent's lead back to double figures. NJCU was unable to draw closer than eight (64-56, 12:04) the rest of the night and leading by 10 with 7:32 to go, the Bulldogs iced the game with a 13-2 run to elevate the lead to 21 (87-66)—its largest advantage—before prevailing by 15.
 
NJCU received 33 of its 73 points from its bench. Brooklyn moved the ball well, earning an assist on 19 of 30 made baskets.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Marc Brown (eighth season)
 
On the effort: "It was an awful effort. It's was a complete lack of concentration. Guys weren't ready. It's especially disappointing because we got a decent crowd for our home opener and to get that kind of effort? Too many guys are either nervous or don't know what they're doing. An example of that is the first play of the game we execute right away and miss a point blank layup."
 
On the defense: "Defensively we were bad. We couldn't stop penetrating guards and they penetrated at will, running a dribble-drive offense. Switching [defensively] would blow that up; it's the offense that [was made famous] at Memphis with [John] Calipari. We didn't do a good job containing the guards and we didn't do a good job rebounding or in any phase of the game. Eddie Brown [starting center] was in early foul trouble."
 
On the outcome: "This was one of the more disappointing efforts in my years at the college. For a team that had played as hard against two good teams [Bridgewater State and Franklin & Marshall, November 15-16] and to come out with this kind of effort is a bit of a shock. The assistant coaches and I were in shock and don't have the words to express how disappointed we were."
 
OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads the all-time series since 1963, 14-5.
• Drew Marley had his 10th career game of 10+ points (second of season).
• Khalid Muhammad has 794 career points. He scored in double figures for the 45th time in 58 career games.
• NJCU received 12 points in the D3hoops.com preseason Top 25 poll; equivalent to a No. 42 national listing.
• All-State freshman guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central), who led New Jersey in assists and steals as a senior, made his NCAA debut for NJCU. Sitting out the first two games with an injury, he had four points and made both shots he attempted in 16 minutes while contributing a team-high three assists.
• The 36 points were the most by an opposing player in Jersey City since Marcel Esonwune of York (NY) had 38 on November 15, 2008—the day the court was dedicated as 'Coach Charlie Brown Court.'

WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU, picked fourth in the NJAC preseason poll, will host Kean University (0-2) on Saturday, November 22 at 4 p.m. in the 2014-15 conference opener for both clubs. Kean, which finished 16-14 (9-9 NJAC) last year—fourth in the league—and as the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament runners-up, was picked 10^th in this year's preseason poll. Kean won all three meetings against NJCU last year, including the NJAC Quarterfinals, with the final two results of the year by four and one point, respectively. The last meeting on February 22, 2014 was a 79-78 overtime heartbreaker. Khalid Muhammad scored a career-high 32 points in the loss. It was the only time in series history that Kean won three games from NJCU in the same season. It will be the 131^st meeting between the clubs on record. NJCU leads the all-time series, 93-37.