New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score GAME NOTES/PROGRAM: Gothic Knight Insights, ALNISA HERNAIZ
SENIOR DAY PHOTO GALLERY

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The College of New Jersey demonstrated its three-point prowess by knocking down 11 triples as the Lions clinched the No. 2 seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament with an 87-56 women's basketball NJAC victory over New Jersey City University on February 15 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). The loss eliminated the rising Gothic Knight program from NJAC Tournament contention.
 
TCNJ (18-6, 14-3 NJAC) won its seventh consecutive game—all by double figures and an average margin of 24.0—by shooting 11-of-26 from long range (.423) and 20-of-29 from the line (.690) while forcing 23 Gothic Knight turnovers, equating to a 26-10 differential in points off giveaways. NJCU, playing its final home game, falls to 8-16 (5-12 NJAC, Lost 3).
 
Prior to the game, NJCU honored its lone senior, forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington), who grabbed three rebounds to move into 10^th place in school history in the category (641).
 
The loss spoiled a dominant performance from freshman power forward BRIA SMITH (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy), the 6-time NJAC Rookie of the Week (1-time Player of the Week), who posted her third 20-point effort of the season, finishing with 20 points and narrowly missed her 10^th double-double with nine rebounds (seven defensive). She shot 6-of-10 from the field (6-9 FT) and made both three-pointers she attempted—the first made threes of her career—while adding a pair of blocks in 37 minutes.
 
Also for NJCU, junior point guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) reached double figures in scoring for the 21^st time in 24 games this season, finishing with 12 points (4-11 FG. 2-6 3FG) and five assists in 38 minutes. Sophomore guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) collected nine points and five boards. Junior guard JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NJ/Hudson Catholic) totaled eight points, five rebounds and four assists.
 
"Today we had hustle and heart but it wasn't enough for us," said third-year head coach Amy Mulligan. "I want to say congratulations to Alnisa on her career at NJCU and also for cracking the top 10 in rebounding in the women's program history. It is a great and wonderful accomplishment!"
 
The Lions had four players reach double figures in a game where TCNJ's ball movement saw 21 of 28 baskets assisted. Senior forward Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) had a team-high 15 points (5-10 FG), including 3-for-3 three-point prowess, while adding eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in only 23 minutes.
 
Junior guard Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) contributed 14 points (4-8 FG), six rebounds and three assists. Sophomore guard Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) collected 12 points (3-5 FG), making 3-of-4 from long range and senior center Liz West (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional) finished with 10 points (5-11 FG) and six boards. TCNJ used a balanced scoring attack as nine players scored at least five points.
 
NJCU, playing without injured starting forward DESEREE JOHNSON (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional), never led, but was able to keep it close for much of the first half. There were three first half ties, the last at 14-14, and when Smith scored with 10:39 left off a Vazquez dish, the Knights trailed by just one, 21-20.
 
But TCNJ, which held a 41-13 margin in bench scoring in the game, scored the next seven points and reeled off a 13-3 run to take control of the game, 34-23 (+11) with 2:29 to play in the half. TCNJ hit its fifth and sixth threes of the game during the spurt, including five points by Duffy and a three from Esposito. NJCU only scored twice in the final 10:39 of the half—a three by Briggs at 7:17 and Smith's first career triple with 28 seconds left in the period. NJCU made just 2-of-15 from the field in that 10+ minute stretch and trailed 36-26 at the break.
 
Despite the scoring drought, NJCU kept it a single-digit game early in the second half and cut it to six, 42-36, on a triple by junior guard MESHA LAGUERRE (Union, NJ/Union) with 14:42 to play. But TCNJ answered with threes by Esposito and senior guard Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) with 14:18 and 12:57 to go, extending the lead to a dozen (48-36). Four free throws made it a 10-0 run and the lead swelled to 16 (52-36). The Lions put the game away from there. A three by Duffy with 5:38 left pushed the lead to 20 for the first time (67-47). Leading by 19 with 3:35 to go, TCNJ turned the outcome into a more lopsided result by scoring 16 of the game's final 20 points and the final 31-point margin was its largest of the night.
 
NJCU will conclude its 44^th season of women's basketball on Wednesday, February 19 at 6 p.m. when it faces Rutgers University-Camden in Camden, NJ.

GAME NOTES:

54th meeting. TCNJ leads all-time series, 51-3 and has won the last 11 meetings. TCNJ won the first meeting, 72-54, on January 18 in Ewing. BRIA SMITH reached double figures in scoring for the 14th time season. ASHLEY VAZQUEZ upped her two-year career scoring total to 642 in 49 games. ASHLEY VAZQUEZ reached double digits in scoring for the 39th time in 49 games as a Gothic Knight and 21st time in 24 games this year. ALNISA HERNAIZ had three rebounds. Her career rebounding total is 641.