JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The hottest team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference was cooled off by a hot-shooting opponent looking to play spoiler as Rutgers University-Camden jumped out to a 14-point first half lead and led comfortably from there as the Scarlet Raptors surprised the New Jersey City University men's basketball team on Senior Night, 80-69, at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. It was the first win in Jersey City for Rutgers-Camden in 27 years.
 
It was a critical loss for NJCU's hopes of qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro Tournament should the Gothic Knights not win the NJAC championship as NJCU, which entered as winners of three in a row and nine of 11 overall, concluded the regular season at 12-13 overall and 9-9 in the NJAC. NJCU must be .500 to qualify for the ECACs, which is now only possible by reaching the NJAC title game.
 
Coupled with Rowan's 62-60 road upset of William Paterson, the Profs pass the Knights in the standings on the final day as NJCU enters the NJAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed. NJCU will face third-seeded The College of New Jersey (15-10, 11-7 NJAC), which knocked off Kean, 86-70, in the NJAC Quarterfinals on Saturday, February 21 at 3 p.m. in Ewing, N.J.
 
It was only the fifth loss for NJCU in 62 all-time meetings with the Scarlet Raptors (14-11, 8-10 NJAC, won 3) and snapped a 19-game winning streak for the Knights. NJCU had won 47 of the last 48 meetings.
 
RUC earned its first win over NJCU since a 103-99 double-overtime thriller on February 9, 2002 in Camden, NJ. Meanwhile, it was the Raptors' first win over NJCU since RUC edged then-Jersey City State College, 63-62, on January 20, 1988 in a game played in the old Fries Hall Gymnasium. The 11-point margin of victory was Camden's highest in the series (previous high, 4). 
 A pair of 20-point performances carried the Raptors as senior guard Wyatt Polk (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) poured in 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting (2-4 3FG; 6-8 FT) with six rebounds in 30 minutes and senior guard Teon Russell (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) tallied 20 points (8-13 FG) and a double-double with 12 rebounds (10 defensive), four assists and three blocks.
 
Senior forward Alex Smart (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) had eight rebounds (seven defensive) and five blocks as Camden swatted 12 NJCU shots and limited the Knights to 37.2 percent shooting.
 
Camden shot 51.7 percent in the first half (15-29) and upped that mark in the second period when it hit 13-of-22 for 59.1 percent. RUC shot 54.9 percent overall on the night (28-51) and 4-of-8 from three-point range.
 
Junior shooting guard Khalid Muhammad (Orange, NJ/Orange) scored 15 points (7-16), giving him 1,024 for his career, in 19 minutes. Senior small forward Neville Joseph (Newark, NJ/West Side) struggled but finished with 13 points (5-15 FG), eight rebounds and three assists.
 
Senior point guard Jourdan Roberson (Brooklyn, NY/University (Newark)) dished seven assists and has six points (2-5 3FG) before fouling out. Senior power forward Drew Marley (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) totaled 10 points on a stellar 5-of-6 shooting.  Junior redshirt shooting guard David Cole (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) collected eight points on 3-of-5 shooting (2-4 3FG).
 
Tied 8-8 five minutes into the game, the Raptors took control with a 10-0 outburst, grabbing an 18-8 advantage with 12:01 to go after a Russell three-point play. Polk had five during the run, including another three-point play.
 
RUC extended the streak to 14-3 and increased the lead to 22-11. NJCU attempted to rally with three three-pointers by freshman shooting guard Joseph Kelley (Newark, NJ/University), Roberson and freshman point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central), making it a three-point game (23-20) with 5:47 left in the first half.
 
Camden responded again, scoring the next eight points with Russell and Polk each netting four points and Russell's three with 2:39 to go in the half made it a 12-point, 34-22 deficit. Abby Bah gave the visitors a 36-22 edge with a layup at the 2:17 mark at the tail end of what proved to be a 13-2 run.
 
Camden led 39-29 at the break and by double figures until the final moments of the second half. A 16-2 spurt from the 17:11 mark to 11:47 gave the Raptors a commanding 27-point, 62-35 differential. NJCU tried to rally and was able to whittle the deficit to eight when Roberson hit a three with 48 seconds to go but couldn't draw any close.
 OF NOTE:

• 62nd meeting. Series: NJCU leads, 57-5. NJCU has won 19 of the last 20 and 47 of the last 49.
• Khalid Muhammad now has 1024 career points. Muhammad reached double figures in scoring for the 58th time in 80 career games and 15th time this season.
• Muhammad equaled Hall-of-Famer Ben O'Neill, who scored 1,024 points from 1961-65, for 25th place in school history.
• Neville Joseph scored in double figures for the 20th time in 23 games in his only season at NJCU.
• Drew Marley had his 14th career game of 10+ points and sixth this season.
• Prior to the game NJCU honored one of the largest known senior classes in school history with seven players: center Eddie Brown (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side), small forward Mohamed Elnaggar (Bayonne, NJ/Marist), point guard Justin Harte (Irvington, NJ/Irvington), Joseph, Marley, shooting guard Jamall McDaniel (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) and Roberson.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Saturday, February 21, NJCU will appear in the NJAC Tournament for the third straight season and 28th time since 1977-78 when it faces TCNJ at 3 p.m. in Ewing. The clubs split the season series. TCNJ rallied from a 19-0 deficit to edge NJCU in the final seconds, 61-59, on January 10. NJCU countered on February 7 with its own come-from-behind, 63-58 triumph. TCNJ led that game 58-54 with 2:24 left before the Knights scored the final nine points of the contest.
 
NJCU, winners of an all-time record 12 NJAC championships—the last coming in 2011—is 19-20 all-time in the NJAC Tournament and 3-11 on the road.
 
Series: It will be the 135th meeting during the NJAC conference era. Since 1955-56, NJCU leads the series, 72-42. NJCU has won six of the last eight meetings. It will be the first meeting between the schools in the NJAC Tournament since a 77-69 win for then-Jersey City State over then-Trenton State College in Ewing on February 22, 1995. NJCU is 4-2 all-time against the Lions in the conference tournament and 1-1 in Ewing.