NEW YORK, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | NJCU surged out to 10-0 lead with seven points coming from senior shooting guard Jade Medley (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic) and the Gothic Knights never looked back, as the New Jersey City University women's basketball team claimed its first 3-0 start to a season in 40 years, crushing John Jay College, 75-44, in non-conference action on November 19 at the Doghouse.
 
NJCU (3-0), which has won four straight dating to last season, is now 3-0 for the first time since opening the 1974-75 campaign with a program record 5-0 mark, as four Gothic Knights reached double figures in scoring in the 31-point rout. John Jay was making its season debut.
 
Medley equaled her career high with 20 points while reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year and sophomore power forward Bria Smith (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) generated her 11^th career double-double.  Her best performance of the young season included 16 points (5-11 FG) and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line, with 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
NJCU never was challenged after its initial 10-0 run and led by as many as 33 points with less than a minute remaining in the game (75-42).
 
Leading 24-12 with 6:35 remaining in the first half, the Knights left no question about the outcome in the second period by using another huge spurt—this time a 12-0 streak in a span of 2:06 that ultimately extended into a 22-4 stretch to end the first half. NJCU held a lopsided 46-16, 30-point differential at the break and led by no less than 23 points in the second half.

 
Medley ended her night with a game-high and career-best equaling 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting including 14 in the first half on 6-of-7 accuracy. She hit 2-of-4 from three-point range—with both triples coming during the initial 10-0 run—while adding six rebounds and three blocks in 30 minutes.
 Junior guard Kiana Briggs (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) and freshman point guard Jazz Randall (Parsippany, NJ/West Orange) each finished with 10 points. Randall shot 5-of-8 from the field in 25 minutes while Briggs added seven rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes to go with five made shots.
 
Senior point guard Mesha Laguerre (Union, NJ/Union) made her first start in her two-year NJCU career and in 26 minutes had a well-rounded effort of six points (2-5 FG), six assists, five rebounds and four steals. Freshman guard Shekinah Suber (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) came off the bench and grabbed seven caroms in 11 minutes.
 
For the Bloodhounds, junior forward Brianna Cunningham had a near double-double, finishing with team highs in points (18), rebounds (9), and blocks (5), shooting 7-of-14 in 33 minutes. She was responsible for 41 percent of her team's scoring output. No other Bloodhound scored more than six points.
 
NJCU shot 53 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes (19-36) and finished the night at 42.5 percent (31-73) while converting 11-of-16 from the line (11-16). NJCU produced an assist on 19 of 31 made baskets and only committed 14 turnovers while forcing John Jay into 31 giveaways. NJCU scored 28 points off of turnovers. John Jay shot 27.1 percent from the floor (16-59) and 2-of-12 from long range.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Amy Mulligan (fourth season)
 
On starting the year 3-0: "I think it is a tremendous and momentous occasion for this team—especially with where we started when I took over [four years ago]. I am hoping it will bring more confidence to our team about the things we can accomplish. I was proud of this win tonight. We moved the ball really well and got out and ran the floor!"
 
On the play of Jade Medley and Bria Smith: "Jade played lights out and totally composed. She found her rhythm and ran the floor well. Bria dominated inside. She took advantage of her size, speed and skill and found her way to the basket."
 
OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads all-time series, 11-6.
• Bria Smith reached double figures in scoring for the 17^th time for her career—second time this season—and had double digits in rebounding for the 16^th time as a collegian and her first of the season.
• Jade Medley collected her 22^nd double-digit scoring effort. Her previous career scoring high—also 20 points—came in the 2014 season finale—February 19—at Rutgers University-Camden.
• It was the fifth time NJCU has beaten John Jay by at least 30 points since they started playing in the 1977-78 season.
• It was the 56^th time NJCU has won a game by at least 30 points in the 45-year history of the program.
• It was NJCU's first win by 30+ since November 18, 2012 in a neutral-court game against Lesley (67-29, +38).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU, picked ninth in the NJAC preseason poll but as the league's dark horse selection, will host Kean University (2-0) on Saturday, November 22 at 2 p.m. in the 2014-15 New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both clubs. Kean has a home game on November 20 against No. 1 ranked and defending national champion FDU-Florham. Kean was third in the preseason poll. NJCU and Kean University last met on February 1, 2014 in Jersey City—a 72-49 victory for the Gothic Knights—in what proved to be the most lopsided win for NJCU in the history of the series. Kean leads the all-time series 46-12 but NJCU has won three of the last four meetings.