New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score MONTCLAIR, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman power forward BRIA SMITH (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) notched her ninth double-double of the season and junior point guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) added 17 points but New Jersey City University fell behind reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference and No. 11/14 ranked Montclair State early and could catch up, falling, 70-44, in women's basketball NJAC action at the Panzer Athletic Center on February 12.
 
The loss was crucial for NJCU, seeking its first NJAC Tournament berth since the 1988-89 season. NJCU dropped to 8-15 overall and 5-11 in the league with two conference games left. The Gothic Knights must win their final two league games and get some help or face elimination.
 
Montclair, ranked No. 11 in Division III in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll and 14^th by D3hoops.com, improved to 21-2 and 15-1 in the NJAC while winning its seventh consecutive game. MSU has won 34 of its last 35 conference games since February 2012.
 
Smith, a six-time NJAC Rookie of the Week (one-time Player of the Week) had 12 points and 11 rebounds but only played 22 minutes with foul trouble. Vazquez notched 17 points—reaching double figures in scoring for the 20^th time in 23 games (7-19 FG)—and added three assists in 38 minutes.
 
Sophomore guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) reached double figures for the 14^th time this season, adding 10 points (5-15 FG) and seven boards in 38 minutes. Vazquez, Smith and Briggs combined to account for 39 of NJCU's 44 points.
 
MSU's two-time All-NJAC performer and reigning NJAC Player of the Year Melissa Tobie (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic)—a D3hoops.com Preseason First-Team All-American—was limited to five points in the first meeting of the season, but dominated the rematch, as she registered her second double-double in the last three games with 19 points (7-12 FG, 3-5 3FG) and 14 rebounds while adding four assists and a pair of blocks in 30 minutes. Tobie was named to the D3hoops.com National Team of the Week earlier in the week.

Senior forward Nicosia Henry (Bolingbrook, IL/Bolingbrook) added 11 points (5-11 FG), six rebounds, two blocks, two assists and two steals and junior guard Janitza Aquino (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) contributed 10 points and five assists and knocked down a pair of threes as she tied the MSU single-season mark with 54.

NJCU led 8-6 with 14:11 to play in the opening half before Montclair State went on a 20-2 run over a span of 7:06, including a 9-0 spurt over the next seven minutes to take a double-digit lead, 26-10, with 7:05 to play. Kayla Ceballos (Brooklyn, NY/Christ the King) began the run with a three-pointer and freshman Rachael Krauss (Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) scored the next four points for a 13-8 lead. Henry beat the shot clock with a three for a 17-8 advantage and later added a layup that capped the run.

Krauss, who had all seven of her points in the first half, hit again from behind the arc to widen the lead to 33-14 as the Red Hawks took a 35-17 lead into the break. Montclair led by at least 14 the rest of the game and achieved its largest advantage, 61-31 (+30) with 7:07 remaining.

Montclair State turned 20 NJCU turnovers in to 22 points and saw its bench outscore the Gothic Knight reserves, 22-5. MSU hit nine triples (9-34) in the game. MSU recorded an assist on 20 of 26 made baskets.
 
NJCU will play its final home game of the regular season on Saturday, February 15 at 5 p.m. when it hosts The College of New Jersey on Senior Night at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). Before the game, NJCU will honor its lone senior, forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington). TCNJ won the first meeting between the schools on January 18 in Ewing, NJ, 72-54.