EWING, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University led 55-53 with 6:39 remaining but was held without another field goal by The College of New Jersey and TCNJ used a 9-2 streak in the final three minutes to pull away for a 67-60 New Jersey Athletic Conference victory on January 22 at Packer Hall.
 
In the first of two meetings this week between the conference rivals necessitated by a December 9 snow postponement, TCNJ improved to 15-3 overall, 10-1 in the NJAC and 7-0 at home this season. The Lions have won 19 consecutive regular season home court matches. The Gothic Knights fall to 14-4 and 8-3 in the NJAC. The rivals will meet again on January 27 in Jersey City.
 
NJCU led 15-7 in the first five minutes of the game but TCNJ used a 16-3 run to take the lead and the Lions led by seven at halftime (34-27) and by as many as nine on two instances early in the second half. Three pointers by senior point guard Ruben Acosta (Waterbury, CT/Bogota) and sophomore shooting guard Jeff Haddock (Burlington Township, NJ/Willingboro) drew NJCU within two with 14:05 remaining and it remained no more than a two possession game until the final minute.
 
NJCU seized a two-point, 55-53 lead on back-to-back baskets by sophomore power forward Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) with 7:15 and 6:39 remaining. TCNJ senior guard Eric Murdock, Jr. (Bridgewater, N.J.) tied it on a steal and fast break with 5:34 left. The teams traded foul shots and remained even at 56-56 with 3:11 to play.
 
With 2:14 to go, sophomore guard Randy Walko (Somerville, N.J.) turned a steal into a fast break bucket to put TCNJ ahead 58-56. After a jumper by Murdock made it 60-56 with 1:23 left, freshman center Chika Wosu (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter)) hit two free throws with 1:06 remaining and NJCU trailed 60-58.
 
But on the next possession, Walko, this week's NJAC Player of the Week, drilled a three from the right side with 45 seconds left to push the lead to five and after the Knights couldn't knock down a three, TCNJ iced it with four foul shots.
 
Four players scored in double figures for NJCU, accounting for 51 of its 60 points. Toney hit 3-of-6 three pointers and was 5-of-11, finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Junior shooting guard Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) had 15 points (3-8 3FG).
 
Also for the Knights, Wosu contributed 11 points (4-6 FG) with six rebounds and Haddock was 7-of-7 from the line, chipping in 10 points in 19 minutes. NJCU shot just 31.7 percent from the field (19-60) and 9-of-28 from three-point range (.321).
 
TCNJ shot 46.0 percent (23-50) and hit 12 threes (.375, 12-32). Sophomore guard Niall Carpenter (Westampton, N.J.) finished with a game-high 16 points (6-10 FG, 4-7 3FG) and Walko added 15 points (6-10 FG, 3-7 3FG) and five boards in 24 minutes.
 
Murdock played the entire game, collecting 13 points, eight rebounds (seven defensive), eight assists and three steals. Junior forward Jordan Glover (Trenton, N.J. added 12 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. Sophomore forward Ryan Jensen (Brielle, N.J.) had eight rebounds and seven points.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 142nd known meeting during the NJAC era (since 1955-56). NJCU leads all-time, 76-46.
• NJCU receiving 28 points in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll (28th nationally).
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) scored in double figures for the 34th time in 47 career games.
• Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) reached double figures in scoring for the 14th time in 18 games as a Gothic Knight. For Green, it was the 31st double digit scoring effort of his collegiate career.
• Jeff Haddock (Burlington Township, NJ/Willingboro) scored in double figures for the third straight game to open his NJCU career and for the 22nd time in 42 career games between Rowan and NJCU.
• Chika Wosu (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter)) scored in double figures for the fourth time in his rookie season.

 
UP NEXT:
In the second of three games this week, NJCU heads to the Rec Center in Wayne, N.J. to face William Paterson University on Wednesday, January 24 at 8 p.m. NJCU defeated the Pioneers, 87-83, in one overtime in Jersey City on November 29. In that game, Sam Toney produced one of the greatest double-double efforts in the 85-year history of NJCU basketball with 36 points and 17 rebounds. The Pioneers come in at 10-8 overall and 5-6 in the NJAC. It will be the 151st known meeting. NJCU leads all-time, 81-69, winning the last five meetings.
 
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