GALLOWAY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | On January 7, the New Jersey City University men's basketball was a mere 2.4 seconds from upsetting a nationally-ranked Richard Stockton College squad. A month later, a much better Gothic Knight club completed the job and took an important step to an improbable post-season appearance in the process. NJCU used a smothering press defense to frustrate No. 19 ranked Stockton, holding off the Ospreys late in a crucial 70-65 wire-to-wire New Jersey Athletic Conference road upset on February 11 at the Stockton Sports Center.
 
After opening the season just 3-10 overall and 1-6 in the NJAC, the resurgent Gothic Knights are again peaking in the second half of the season, improving to 10-12 overall and 8-8 in the NJAC by winning for the seventh time in nine games. Stockton, which had won six of its last eight games coming in, falls to 18-5 and 12-4 in the NJAC.
 
It was NJCU's first win over a ranked opponent since a 60-50 road win over New York University on December 3, 2012 and the Knights' first win over a ranked NJAC foe since an 81-69 decision over then No. 22 Ramapo in Jersey City on February 12, 2011. Additionally, it was the first road win over a ranked conference opponent since also knocking off Stockton by five, then ranked No. 8, 76-71 on December 5, 2009.
 
The win was key for NJCU which now owns sole possession of sixth place in the NJAC standings with two conference games remaining against schools—Montclair State University and Rutgers University-Camden—whom the Knights have already beaten once this season. NJCU is a full game in front of Ramapo (7-9) for the final berth in the 6-team NJAC Tournament, and picks up an important tiebreaker as both the Knights and the Roadrunners have defeated second-place Stockton this season.
 
Furthermore, NJCU is one game behind Rowan University, Rutgers University-Newark and The College of New Jersey—all 9-7 in the league standings. NJCU, which split the season series with Rowan and TCNJ, but lost twice to Rutgers-Newark, can still finish anywhere from third to seventh when the regular season ends next Wednesday.
 
NJCU outscored Stockton 28-12 in the paint and closed the first half on a 9-2 run to seize a 41-29 advantage at halftime. The Knights were able to keep Stockton at bay throughout the second half with the hosts getting no closer than four, including 54-50 with 7:31 remaining. But a jumper by senior shooting guard Jamall McDaniel (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) with 6:58 to play, another jumper by reigning NJAC Player of the Week and senior small forward Neville Joseph (Newark, NJ/West Side) with 6:06 left, and a transition layup by McDaniel with 5:38 to go pushed the lead back to 10 (60-50).
 

Still up five (60-55) with 3:21 to go after Stockton's Armin Cane hit a jumper for his 24th point of the night, senior point guard Jourdan Roberson (Brooklyn, NY/University (Newark)) remained on pace to graduate as NJCU's leading career free throw shooter (89-105, .848) by knocking down two from the line with 3:04 on the board and after Stockton committed yet another turnover, Roberson found Joseph for a dagger three pointer with 1:51 left as the Gothic Knight lead swelled back to double digits, 65-55.
 
Roberson hit four more foul shots in six tries to ice it for NJCU. A late bid by the Ospreys to draw closer, including a three by Zavon Johnson with 21 seconds remaining (68-63) and two foul shots by preseason Second-Team All-American Josh Blamon with six seconds to go, was not enough.
 
Four players scored in double figures for NJCU, led by Joseph with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes. Junior red-shirt shooting guard David Cole (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) scored 10 of his 11 points in the first half and finished shooting 4-of-8 with six rebounds.
 McDaniel was 5-of-8 from the floor and scored 11 points to compliment four steals and junior shooting guard Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) pulled within 13 points of becoming the 28th member of NJCU's 1000-point club, scoring 10 in the win (4-7 FG) with six rebounds and three steals.
 
Rookie shooting guard Joseph Kelley (Newark, NJ/University) dished five assists and a pair of steals in 12 minutes off the bench. Roberson (6-8 FT) and senior center Eddie Brown (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side) each netted six points; Brown had two blocks.

NJCU, playing its third game in five days against teams high in the league standings, including back-to-back Top 25 opponents, showed no signs of fatigue and wore down the home Ospreys, which committed 23 turnovers and the Knights swiped a season-high 16 steals.
 
Cane's 24 points were a game high, as he shot 6-of-12 from three-point range and 9-of-17 overall with seven rebounds and Blamon netted 22 points, primarily from the line where he converted 12-of-13 attempts after shooting 4-of-16 from the field, adding 10 rebounds and five steals for a double-double.
 
But no other Osprey scored more than six points and Stockton was limited to 29.2 percent shooting in the opening period before finishing at 34.0 percent (17-50) overall.
 
QUOTES:
NJCU head coach Marc Brown (eighth season)
 
On the result and the playoff race finish: "It was a good win! Our press really caused them problems. We are just trying to keep pace with the teams ahead of us. We just need to win. That's my only concern."
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 77th known meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 43-34.
• Stockton had won the last four meetings including the first meeting on January 7, 58-56, in Jersey City. The teams split the season series.
• Khalid Muhammad now has 987 career points and is 13 points shy of becoming the 28th member of NJCU's 1000-point club. Muhammad reached double figures in scoring for the 55th time in 77 career games and 13th time this season.
• Neville Joseph scored in double figures for the 17th time in 20 games in his only season at NJCU.
• David Cole scored in double figures for the fifth time this season and had his ninth career game of 10+ points.
• Jamall McDaniel scored in double figures for the fifth time this season and 11th time in 43 games with the program.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Saturday, February 14 at 1 p.m. NJCU heads to Montclair, NJ for its final road NJAC game of the regular season as the Knights take on Montclair State University (7-15, 3-13 NJAC, 10th place). NJCU won the first meeting between the clubs in Jersey City on January 17, 67-56. NJCU led the entire game with Muhammad scoring 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting and 8-of-9 free throw accuracy.
 
Series: It will be the 164th meeting since 1932-33; Montclair leads the series, 91-72.