New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman power forward phenom BRIA SMITH (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) produced one of the greatest individual rookie statistical efforts in the 44-year history of New Jersey City University women's basketball, with an emphatic double-double of 29 points and 18 rebounds but NJCU started slow and could not complete a comeback, falling to William Paterson University, 76-68, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on February 8.
 
Smith scored the most points by a freshman since 1990 and the fourth most by a rookie in NJCU history—just three points shy of the program rookie record of 32 set in January 1981 by Hall-of-Famer Christine Mosca. Smith, a five-time NJAC Rookie of the Week and one-time Player of the Week pick, scored 18 points with 11 rebounds in the second half alone, finishing with 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, and 10 of her 18 board were defensive in 37 minutes. She also shot 9-of-15 from the line in her eighth double-double effort of the season.
 
ALL-TIME 25-POINT SCORING EFFORTS, NJCU Women's Basketball History

But her effort was for naught as NJCU opened the game by shooting just 1-of-21 from the field, falling behind by 17 points in the first half. The Knights were forced to play catch-up from there. NJCU was able to whittle the lead to four points twice in the final five minutes before WP, winners of three straight, pulled away from the line, as the Pioneers improved to 13-9 and 10-5 in the NJAC.
 
The loss was critical for NJCU, seeking its first NJAC Tournament berth since the 1988-89 season. NJCU dropped to 8-14 overall and 5-10 in the league with three conference games left—including the top two teams in the standings, No. 14 ranked Montclair State University (20-2, 14-1), whom the Gothic Knights have never beaten in Montclair, NJ, and The College of New Jersey (15-6, 11-3). The Knights are tied with Rutgers-Newark and Rowan in the standings—having swept Rowan but lost twice to R-N—and just one win behind sixth place Richard Stockton College, which is clutching the league's final tournament berth.
 
For NJCU, sophomore guard KIANA BRIGGS (Paterson, NJ/Passaic County Tech) reached double figures for the 13^th time this season, scoring 10 (4-12 FG). Junior point guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) had a near double-double of nine points and eight rebounds (six defensive), adding three assists, but did not reach double figures for just the third time in 22 games this year, shooting 2-of-14 (1-7 3FG). Sophomore forward DESEREE JOHNSON (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional) chipped in 10 rebounds.
 
Senior guard Floriana Borova (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill), the NJAC's leading scorer coming in by more than 2.5 points per game over the rest of the league, with a 19.6 scoring clip entering, had nine points and four assists in the first half, despite shooting 4-of-13 in the period. But Borova, a three-time NJAC Player of the Week this season and 10 times in her career, including each of the last two weeks, recovered to generate a near triple-double of 22 points (6-21 FG, 1-5 FT), nine assists and seven rebounds in 38 minutes. The two-time All-NJAC performer (First Team in 2012-13) shot just 2-of-8 in the second half but went to the line 16 times, sinking nine chances.
 
Senior forward Dana Jeter (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert), a Second-Team All-NJAC performer last year, finished with 18 points (8-14 FG), nine rebounds, three blocks and three steals in a full 40 minutes—only picking up two fouls. She had 12 points (5-9 FG), six rebounds and two blocks in the first half. 
 
Also for WP, senior forward Brittany Ennis (Lambertville, NJ/South Hunterdon Regional) scored seven of her nine points (3-6 FG) in the first half. She added seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Senior guard Kristine Jackiewicz (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) had a near double-double of 10 points (4-8 FG) and eight rebounds.
"We fought hard today and this team showed a lot of heart in the comeback. It was a shame the way the game ended but I was very proud of their fight," noted third-year head coach Amy Mulligan. "Bria put on an amazing show of skill today and really dominated out there."
 
William Paterson, with a starting lineup that features three players of 5-foot-11 or taller, had 10 blocks in the game and a 44-28 differential in scoring in the paint. WP also had 16 assists and only committed 11 turnovers. Despite the size advantage, Smith's 18-board effort gave NJCU a 50-42 rebounding margin in the loss.
 
WP led wire-to-wire in the game as NJCU could not produce a field goal until the 14:08 mark but the Pioneers didn't immediately capitalize, leading just 6-4 at this point.
 
But after NJCU missed its first eight shots, it would fail to hit its next 12 (1-of-21 overall). At 11:52, Borova heaved up a long three on an inbounds pass for a 13-6 WP edge and her inside pass to Ennis at 10:38 led to a three-point play and a 16-6 lead. A pretty behind-the-back pass from Borova to Jeter made it 18-6 and a fast break made it 20-6 at the midway point with NJCU 1-of-18 from the field, thanks to six early WP blocks. An Ennis three from the right wing pushed the lead to 23-9 before Jeter's layup off a dump pass from Borova made it 26-9. That 17-point lead at 6:41 equaled the Pioneers' largest of the game.
 
NJCU finally ended the long stretch of offensive futility when Smith had an offensive rebound and putback with 6:23 to go in the half. With NJCU down 28-11, her tough shot off the window and three-point play made it 28-14 and the Knights used an 11-3 run to get back in the game when Briggs converted a three-point play with 3:45 to go, cutting the deficit to single digits. Smith scored seven straight for NJCU during the run. Johnson buried a three from the left wing that made it 33-25 with 2:41 to go before WP went to the break ahead 37-25. 
 
Smith had 11 points (4-8 FG) and seven rebounds in the opening period. After the slow start, NJCU recovered to shoot 7-of-31 in the period (.226) but was 1-of-7 from deep (.143) and committed 11 turnovers. WP also struggled from three-point distance in the first half (2-9, .222) but made twice as many field goals (14-33, .424). 
 
WP maintained its double-digit lead for much of the second half. A fast break layup by sophomore guard Brittany Harden (Millville, NJ/Sacred Heart) pushed the lead to 45-30. And while Smith had her eighth double-double of the season just four minutes into the second half, NJCU wasn't immediately getting other production. Jackiewicz elevated the margin to 17 for the third time in the game with a layup with 11:09 left that made it a 59-42 deficit.
 
But NJCU rallied, holding WP scoreless for a span of 3:08. Smith's jumper off the window on a drive to the lane with 10:54 to go tied her career high with 23 points. NJCU pulled within 11 on a fast break bucket by Briggs. Freshman guard JAZZ RANDALL (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) took her time and made her fourth straight free throw (59-50). Then with 8:01 left, Smith, going for a rebound on a missed free throw, inadvertently tipped in the loose ball for her 25^th point to make it a seven-point deficit and extend the NJCU run to 10-0.
 
Twice after WP scored, Briggs was able to counter to keep the deficit in single digits. Her fast break layup with 6:20 to play (63-56) followed by her running right hander in the lane made it 65-58 (5:51) and kept NJCU close. Junior guard MESHA LAGUERRE (Union, NJ/Union) sank a jumper off the window in the lane to cut it to 66-60 then drove strong to the right rim to make it a four-point, 66-62 contest with 4:37 left. Two free throws by Smith with 3:55 left accounted for her 26^th and 27^th point and kept the margin at four (68-64).
 
Borova pushed the lead back to eight with two foul shots and a steal and fast break that made it 72-64. Laguerre sank a jumper from the left side with 2:21 to play and Smith sank a foul shot with 1:40 to go to make it a five-point game (72-67). But she missed the second and Borova recorded her ninth assist with a feed to Ennis that pushed the margin to seven (74-67) with 1:02 remaining, ending the comeback bid.
 
NJCU will face defending NJAC champion Montclair State on Wednesday, February 12 at 6 p.m. in Montclair when it returns to the court.

NJCU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-TIME ROOKIE 25-POINT + SCORING GAMES
POINTS	DATE	PLAYER	YR. IN SCHOOL	OPPONENT	RESULT	REBOUNDS
32	01/29/1981	Christine Mosca	FR	at Pratt Institute	W, 92-37	25
30	1978-79	Debby Breen	FR	at Upsala	L, 67-110?	2
30	03/11/1971	Frances Ryan	FR	at FDU-Rutherford	W, 64-17	n/a
29	01/20/1990	Nicole Fair	FR	Trenton State	L, 58-59	5
29	02/08/2014	BRIA SMITH	FR	William Paterson	L, 68-76	18
28	02/14/1981	Mary Mohlmann	FR	at Stony Brook	W, 66-60	n/a
28	11/28/2007	Angela Fitzgerald	FR	Farmingdale State	L, 77-85 (2 OT)	18
26	11/25/1980	Christine Mosca	FR	vs. Bloomfield	W, 74-58	14
26	12/09/1980	Carla Gadsden	FR	at Drew	W, 76-62	22
26	12/30/1987	Kesha Scott	FR	vs. Mount Saint Vincent	W, 103-34	11
26	12/03/2008	Lashawn Overton	FR	at Montclair State	L, 62-74	4
26	01/07/2009	Lashawn Overton	FR	William Paterson	L, 51-93	2
26	11/22/2010	Maria Suarez	FR	at Medgar Evers	W, 70-51	12
26	11/19/2011	Luisa Montalvo	FR	vs. Cabrini	L, 52-39 (1 OT)	1
25	01/25/1985	Monique Hemingway	FR	at Rutgers-Newark	W, 72-56	20
25	02/19/1985	Monique Hemingway	FR	Caldwell	W, 77-70	22
25	02/14/1992	Tawana Brown	FR	at Kean	L, 61-76	12
25	11/23/1993	Tara Mitchell	FR	Rowan	L, 63-84	9
25	12/11//1999	Shondelle Browne	FR	at Rutgers-Camden	W, 65-48	15