NEWARK, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University fell behind Rutgers University-Newark 13-0 to start the game yet rallied to pull within two points with 1:17 to play before the host Scarlet Raiders held on for a 73-64 decision over NJCU in New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball action on January 21 at The Golden Dome.
 
Rutgers-Newark (13-4, 7-3 NJAC) shot 59.5 percent from the field (22-37) and 25-of-32 from the foul line (.781) to make sure a 15-point first half lead wouldn't be squandered. NJCU drops to 5-11 (3-7 NJAC).
 
The loss snaps NJCU's two-game win streak and spoils a stellar effort from junior shooting guard Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) who poured in his second straight 20+ point effort, finishing with 22 points. He shot 7-of-10 including 3-of-5 from three-point range while converting 5-of-6 foul shots. 
 RUN junior Jordan McDaniel (Colonia, NJ/Colonia), who was the leading scorer in the first meeting between the teams this season, finished with a game-high 24 points (6-8 FG), highlighted by 11-of-13 foul shooting, and senior swingman Christian Garcia (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) provided 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting.
 
RUN shot 54.5 percent in the first half (12-22), only to up those totals in the second half when the Raiders hit 10-of-15 for 66.7 percent accuracy. NJCU stayed in contention by forcing 23 turnovers which led to a 22-8 advantage in points off giveaways. Meanwhile, NJCU was lights out from the line in far fewer chances, hitting 85.7 of its attempts (18-of-21).
 
Senior small forward Neville Joseph (Newark, NJ/West Side) tallied 13 points (5-14 FG) and had three steals and freshman guard Joseph Kelley (Newark, NJ/University) continued to make an impact off the bench with seven points, four assists and three steals.
 
Darrian Collins was 6-of-6 from the line and finished with nine points, seven assists and six rebounds for RUN. Senior guard Doze Ikwuegbu (Union, NJ/Union) grabbed a game-high eight rebounds for RUN, which outrebounded the Knights, 37-19.
 

Rutgers-Newark came out fast, jumping out to a 13-0 advantage in the first 3:13 of the game, as Garcia scored eight early points for the hosts. Garcia's 10th point of the game, a layup with 13:37 to play, gave the Raiders their largest lead at 17-2. NJCU slowly began chipping away at Newark's margin and down 10 with 2:15 to go (29-19), scored eight of the next nine points to make it a three-point deficit with under 30 seconds in the half, as a three-point play by Joseph and a three by Kelley sparked the Knights. RUN led 33-27 at the half.
 
Muhammad scored 16 of NJCU's 37 second half points. The Raiders gradually worked the lead back to 11 with 13:56 left in the second half (42-31) before NJCU ran off the next seven points—a Joseph basket, a Kelley fast break dunk and a triple by junior red-shirt shooting guard David Cole (Avenel, NJ/Colonia)—to make it a four-point game (42-38) with 11:58 left.
 
Garcia again came through for RUN, scoring the Raiders' next eight points to regain an 11-point, 50-39 differential with 8:49 on the clock and McDaniel's three with 5:20 to go, extended the margin to 14 (59-45). McDaniel scored 16 in the second period. Collins made a pair of foul shots with 3:11 left to make it an 11-point, 61-50 contest.
 
However, NJCU wasn't finished. A three by Muhammad and a steal and layup by Joseph made it 61-55 with 2:35 to go and Muhammad sank two from the stripe after a RUN turnover and foul. Kelley drew NJCU within four after a pair of free throws with 1:39 left and he found Muhammad for another three with 1:17 to go as suddenly the deficit was just two, 64-62.
 
But with the game on the line, Collins hit two foul shots with 47 seconds to go and after a missed three by the Knights, McDaniel drove to the hoop for two and converted a three-point play with 29 seconds remaining as the Raiders regained a seven-point, 69-62 lead before icing it from the line.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 77^th meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 60-17. Rutgers-Newark has won the last three meetings, including the first meeting this season on November 25 in Jersey City (62-46).
• Khalid Muhammad reached double figures in scoring for the 52nd time in 71 career games and 10th time this season. He has 923 career points.
• Khalid Muhammad scored 20+ points for the second time this season and ninth time in his career.
• Khalid Muhammad scored 20+ points in consecutive games for the second time in his career. He had 23 points in back-to-back games against Montclair State (02/06/2013) and at The College of New Jersey (02/11/2013) as a freshman.
• Neville Joseph scored in double figures for the 11th time in 14 games in his only season at NJCU.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Saturday, January 24, NJCU will seek a season sweep of Kean University at 1 p.m. at Harwood Arena in Union. NJCU won the first meeting this year in Jersey City on November 22, 64-45. NJCU used an early 12-0 outburst to seize control of the game. Senior center Eddie Brown (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side) posted the first double-double of his two-year Gothic Knight career and doubled his previous rebounding best as he finished with a career-high 14 rebounds and made four of his five shots for 10 points. Senior shooting guard Jamall McDaniel (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) was a big factor in the first half, scoring 12 points in 10 minutes.
 
Series: 132nd known meeting. NJCU leads all-time known series, 94-37.