NORTON, Mass. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's basketball team trailed by just one at halftime and led by one with under four minutes to go in the third quarter before host Wheaton College (Mass.) unleashed a 14-1 run and that was the final margin as the Lyons defeated NJCU by 13, 76-63, in the opening game of the 5th Annual Cheryl Warren-Powers `95 Memorial Tip-Off Tournament on November 18.
 
Three Gothic Knights (1-1) registered double-digit points in Friday's first loss of the season. Wheaton, which advanced to face Framingham State in the tournament's second round, is 1-0.
 
With 3:28 left in the third quarter, senior guard/forward Jazz Randall (Parsippany, N.J./West Orange) sunk two free throws to give NJCU a one-point lead (42-41). However, the Lyons used the 14-1 run over a span of the next 2:20, including six foul shots, to grab a double-digit advantage and closed the period scoring 19 of the final 22 points to take a 60-45 lead into the fourth quarter. NJCU wasn't able to cut the deficit closer than eight in the latter moments of the fourth quarter.
 
In defeat, freshman point guard Tu'ziah Hall (Greenville, N.C./Banneker (NC)) produced a career-high 19 points, dished six assists, and grabbed five rebounds while playing the entire game. Junior center Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) collected a career-high 12 rebounds and added six points in 26 minutes of action.
 
Junior guard Aaliyah Saud (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) registered double-digit points for the second straight game with a season-high 17. Saud knocked down 6-of-14 shots, including three three-pointers and forced a team-high four steals, adding three assists. Senior guard/forward Jazz Randall (Parsippany, N.J./West Orange) scored 12 points (4-9 FG). Senior guard Kiana Briggs (Paterson, N.J./Passaic County Tech) gave out four assists in 11 minutes in her first game of the season.
 
Wheaton shot lights out from the line, knocking down 18-of-22 foul shots and that 81.8 percent shooting was key in the outcome.
 
Rebecca Olivieri led all scorers with 20 for the Lyons, sinking 9-of-10 from the line. She was 5-of-10 from the field and had four assists in 24 minutes. Ruthie Zientek added a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds with four assists before fouling out. Sophia Black nearly matched her with 11 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. Four other players scored between six and nine points for Wheaton.
 
Despite the loss, the Gothic Knights shot 70 percent from the charity stripe (14-20). Wheaton's bench played a key role in Friday's victory as it outscored NJCU's bench, 20-5. Each team committed 30 turnovers.
 
Friday's game was a tale of two halves for Wheaton's shooting percentage, while NJCU shot comparatively consistent throughout the entire match, finishing at 32.0 percent. After shooting just 11 of 41 in the first half (.268), the hosts shot 56 percent (15-27) in the second half and were perfect (13-13) from the line.
 
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS
Second-year head coach Robyn Burton following the loss to Wheaton: "It was a hard-fought game, but we made too many crucial mistakes and as a young team we understand that some things get better with time and experience. We're hungry and have the potential to be great, so as the season progresses we will get better. We just have some work to do and we are determined to get it done."
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: Wheaton (Mass.) leads, 2-0; schools were meeting for second straight year (first meeting at Wheaton).
• NJCU forced 30 or more turnovers for the second straight game.
• Shege Haxhaj surpassed her previous career-high of eight rebounds against York College (N.Y) on November 15, 2016 and Stockton University on February 10, 2016.
• The Gothic Knights scored at least 60 points in back-to-back game for the first time since they defeated Cairn University, 61-47, on November 21, 2015 and lost to Rutgers-Newark, 86-65, on November 24, 2015.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?:
In the second round of the tournament on Saturday, November 19, NJCU faces Newbury College in the consolation round at 1:00 p.m. Newbury lost to Framingham State, 94-45, in the second game of Friday's opening round action.