BRONX, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Less than 24 hours after suffering one of the most devastating regular season losses in recent memory in double overtime, the New Jersey City University men's basketball team tried to muster the energy to play back-to-back games but couldn't keep up with a sharp-shooting Western Connecticut State University squad, falling 84-65 in the consolation game of the CUNY Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Lehman College on December 30.
 
In the first meeting between the two state university programs in 16 years, Western Connecticut (7-4) shot 50 percent from the field in the first half when it built a 42-28 halftime advantage and shot 89.5 percent from the line in the game (17-19). NJCU (7-4), which entered the tournament with a seven-game winning streak, dropped back-to-back games for the second time this season.
 
The game was competitive throughout the first half until the Colonials, leading by two (27-25) with 5:49 to go in the period, closed the half on a 15-3 run and held the Gothic Knights without a field goal during that span (0-7).
 
NJCU could never recover and the Colonials kept the streak going in the first 2:27 of the second half, scoring the 12 points to extend its run to 27-3 over a stretch of 8:16, to put the game out of reach, up by 26 points (54-28). The Colonials lead was in the 20s for most of the rest of the game and as much as 31 (78-47, 7:44) before the Knights scored 11 of the final 13 points to whittle the deficit a bit.
 One bright spot in the loss was the play off the bench of talented mid-year addition, freshman small forward James Frazier (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) who scored 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting in 24 minutes with eight rebounds—both NJCU game highs. He scored 30 points in 48 reserve minutes in the tournament.
 
Senior power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter) was NJCU's selection to the All-Tournament Team. Despite having his string of four straight double-doubles and four straight 20+ point scoring efforts snapped in the loss, he did net 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting with five rebounds (four offensive). Wosu scored 32 points with 17 rebounds in the tournament.
 
Freshman power forward Yuri Brutus (Roselle Park, NJ/Roselle Park) had his fifth career double-digit scoring effort—all in the last six games, finishing with 10 points (6-6 FT) in nine minutes. Junior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, MD/Gwynn Park (Md.)) collected nine points.
 
Four players scored in double figures for the Colonials led by a pair of 20-point efforts. Phil Starks was named to the All-Tournament team, scoring 21 points (7-15 FG), including 4-of-9 three-point shooting with four assists and three steals in a full 40 minutes. Luis Bridtter also produced 21 points (8-13 FG, 5-5 FT) with seven rebounds.
 
Also contributing for WCSU were Jauch Green with 14 points (5-11 FG, 4-4 FT) and eight rebounds off the bench and Ryan Belote with 12 points (4-7 FG) and three assists, knocking down 3-of-4 from three-point distance.
 
Quotable Knights:
 
Head Coach Marc Brown, 9th season, on the performance:
 
"It was very disappointing. I'm disappointed in the group. It was a humbling tournament. We got our butts kicked two days in a row. At least we fought hard yesterday versus Buffalo State but today was a complete embarrassment. Hopefully we come back in the new year and get ready for Stockton."
 
#KnightNotes:

• 11th meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 9-2. It was the first meeting since WCSU won 69-68, on December 29, 1996. First neutral court meeting between the clubs.
• NJCU had won the previous nine meetings between 1970 and 1978, with four wins by at least 28 points, including the two most lopsided wins in program history—a 59-point, 115-56 outcome on January 8, 1970 and a 113-54, 59-point winning result on January 8, 1972.
• Buffalo State, which defeated NJCU in double overtime, 119-116, in the opening round, defeated host Lehman, 82-73, to claim the tournament title.
• Jalen Harris had his streak of six consecutive double figure scoring efforts snapped. He has scored in double figures nine times in 11 games as a Gothic Knight.
• Chinwe Wosu scored in double figures for the 10th time in 11 games and the fifth straight outing.
• Senior small forward Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) scored four points. He has 1,083 career points and is 22nd in school history. Danel Allen is next in 21st place with 1,091 points in three season (1995-98).

 
What's Next?:
NJCU, undefeated and in sole possession of first place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference at 5-0 for the first time since opening the 2003-04 NJAC championship season at 5-0 in the league (and in 1993-94), puts its unblemished NJAC mark on the line on Wednesday, January 6 at 8 p.m. when it travels to Galloway, NJ to face defending conference championship and preseason favorite Stockton University. The Ospreys (8-2, 4-1 NJAC) have won five straight entering the January 2/3 DeSales University Tournament. NJCU won the last meeting between the clubs on February 11, 2015 in Galloway, 70-65 when the Knights knocked off the then 19th ranked Ospreys. It will be the 78th meeting in a series NJCU leads, 43-34. NJCU will be seeking to open a season with six or more straight wins in the NJAC for the first time since 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. Follow live stats [http://sidearmstats.com/stockton/mbball/] or video [http://livestream.com/stocktonathletics].