UNION, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter) scored 15 of his career-high 26 points in the first half as the New Jersey City University men's basketball team remained unbeaten at the top of the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings and won its seventh consecutive game, routing host Kean University, 78-62, in NJAC action on December 12 at Harwood Arena.
 
The first place Gothic Knights, whose only losses came to two teams ranked in the Division III Top 25, improved to 7-2 and 5-0 in the NJAC while sending the Cougars to 1-8 (1-4 NJAC). The Knights are off to their best conference start in 11 years.
 
Wosu, who had scored a then-career best 24 points with 18 rebounds in a win over Ramapo on December 9, made a strong case for NJAC Player of the Week honors by shooting a mind-boggling 11-of-14 from the field with 26 points and 15 rebounds (eight offensive). He joined NJCU junior shooting guard and reigning NJAC Player of the Week Jalen Harris (Brandywine, MD/Gwynn Park (Md.)) as Gothic Knights to score at least 25 in a game this year.
 
Wosu shot a sizzling 7-of-8 from the field in 16 minutes in the first half, scoring 15 points with nine rebounds (six offensive) as NJCU put the game away early with a 20-point, 43-23 halftime differential. He nearly produced a double-double before halftime for the second time this week and finished with his third double-double in a row and fifth of his career—all this season—-while scoring in double figures for an eighth time.
 

Freshman small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) netted a career-high 18 points, shooting 4-of-9 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the line with four assists. Harris added another double figure effort, this time 12 points with four assists.
 
Junior point guard Ata Robinson (Newark, NJ/East Side) contributed five assists and five rebounds. Reigning NJAC Rookie of the Week, freshman power forward Yuri Brutus (Roselle Park, NJ/Roselle Park), scored nine points (3-6 FG, 3-4 FT) with six boards and freshman guard Tyler Caldwell (Jersey City, NJ/Henry Snyder) tacked on eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting.
 
Justin Watson led Kean with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting (4-6 3FG). Mike Diamond had 12 points (4-9 FG) while Diego Pujols chalked up 10 points, nine assists and six steals in 36 minutes but had seven turnovers.
 
NJCU had its second best shooting effort of the season at 49.2 percent (29-59), hit seven three pointers, and outrebounded Kean by what the scoreboard displayed at halftime—43-23. Included in that is a 21-7 margin on the offensive glass and NJCU held a decisive 25-5 advantage in second chance scoring.
 
Key Moments:
NJCU scored the first 10 points of the game—a pair of three-pointers by freshman small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) and junior point guard Ata Robinson (Newark, NJ/East Side), and Wosu followed each triple with a basket inside as the Knights took control of the game in the first 2:29 and never looked back. Two layups by Wosu sandwiched around a bucket by junior shooting guard and reigning NJAC Player of the Week Jalen Harris (Brandywine, MD/Gwynn Park (Md.)) extended the early outburst to 16-2.
 
Still up 26-17 with 5:45 remaining in the period, NJCU scored 17 of the final 23 points of the half as the Knights gradually increased their advantage as the half progressed. Julius, who scored 10 in the first half while playing a full 20 minutes, shooting 2-of-4 from three-point range, hit a three to push the lead to 15, 32-17, with 4:24 to play before Watson hit back-to-back threes in a span of 21 seconds to reduce the margin to nine.
 
NJCU responded by ripping off an 11-0 run to conclude the period as four different Gothic Knights produced field goals. NJCU led 43-23 at the half, shooting 48.5 percent in the opening half (16-33) and it outrebounded Kean, 24-10.
 
NJCU would never be seriously challenged in the second half. Its largest lead was 22 at the 17:56 mark (47-25). When Kean was able to whittle the deficit to seven, 64-57 with 4:22 to play, NJCU quickly reeled off a 12-0 run to regain a 19-point advantage to bury the Cougars. Wosu had six points during that stretch, including two free throws with 1:58 after a flagrant foul, for his final two points of the day, and Caldwell had a pair of late buckets as the Knights won by 16.
 
#KnightNotes:

• 133rd known meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 96-37.
• NJCU's seven-game winning streak is the longest since winning seven straight from January 23 to February 13, 2013.
• The last time NJCU had a streak longer than seven straight was nine straight from January 24 to February 14, 2011. NJCU won the NJAC championship that season.
• NJCU is 7-2 to start a season for the first time since opening the 2011-12 season at 9-1 overall.
• NJCU is 5-0 in NJAC play for the first time since opening the 2003-04 NJAC championship season at 5-0 in the league. NJCU also accomplished a 5-0 start in 1993-94.
• The last time NJCU opened a season better than 5-0 in the NJAC was in the 1988-89 season when a 24-4 Jersey City State team went 17-1 in the NJAC and opened the year 9-0 in league play.
• James Julius' 18 points exceeded his previous high of 17 at Messiah on November 21. He scored in double figures for a third time as a collegian.
• Jalen Harris scored in double figures for the eighth time in nine games as a Gothic Knight and the fifth game in a row.
• Chinwe Wosu had his fourth 20-point performance of the season and his eighth double-digit scoring effort. He has five efforts of double figure rebounds.
• Kean committed 19 turnovers. It was the first time in nine games that NJCU, which ranks fourth nationally in forced turnovers, did not coerce an opponent into 20 or more giveaways.

• Senior small forward Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) sat out with an injury for the fourth time in five games. He has 1,063 points in his career.

 
What's Next?:
NJCU will be idle for the next 17 days over the holiday break before returning to action on Tuesday, December 29 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament hosted by Lehman College in the Bronx, NY. On day one of the tournament at 4 p.m., NJCU will face Buffalo State University (5-2) for only the third time in their histories and the first time in 17 years. The all-time series is even, 1-1. On January 6, 1999, NJCU defeated the Bengals, 73-64, in the championship game of the Buffalo State College Tournament. The only other meeting came on December 27, 1985 in Staten Island, NY in the College of Staten Island Tournament—a game the Bengals won, 88-83. That was the same season then Jersey City State College advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the first time. On day two of the tournament on December 30, the Knights will meet either host Lehman or Western Connecticut State University at 4 or 6 p.m.  Follow live stats (http://www.sidearmstats.com/lehman/mbball/) or video (http://lehmanathletics.com/watch/?Live=73)