PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Union College (NY) used an 11-0 run over a span of 3:22 late in the second half to erase a four-point New Jersey City University lead and the Gothic Knights' 85th season of intercollegiate men's basketball and 20th appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament came to an end with a 76-72 NCAA First Round loss to Union College (NY) on March 2 at Plattsburgh State's Memorial Hall.
 
NJCU led by 11 at halftime and by as many as 14 early in the second period. But in a reversal from the first half, the Gothic Knights shot just 28.6 percent (8-28) from the field and 23.1 percent from three-point range (3-13) in the second half after NJCU connected on 51.4 percent (18-35) in the first half. The Knights were within a possession in the final minute before Union sealed it from the foul line.
 
NJCU, on the cusp of its 17th 20-win season and third in a row, was unable to achieve that goal, losing its final three games of the season to finish the year at 19-8 overall. The Gothic Knights fall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive appearance dating to 2005 and for the second straight year were eliminated by a Liberty League opponent it had never previously played.
 
Union, the Liberty League champions, outscored NJCU 42-27 in the second half and improved to 19-8 overall. It advances to the NCAA Second Round to face No. 16 ranked Plattsburgh State, which won its program-record 20th consecutive game in a 103-86 rout of No. 21 Nichols.
 
NJCU fell despite another standout effort by sophomore power forward Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown), the 2018 New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year, who had 25 points (8-19 FG, 4-10 3FG, 5-7 FT) and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes. It was his seventh 25+ point performance of his career—all this season. He produced his 12th double-double of the season and 17th of his career.
 
Junior point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) had the best game of his collegiate career and wasn't far from a triple-double, finishing with a career-high 12 assists, while notching 10 points (3-4 FG), seven rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes. He had eight assists in the first half.
 
Union struggled in the first half when it shot 29.0 percent (9-31) and 4-of-12 from three-point range but turned those fortunes around in the second half when it made 12-24 (50.0 percent) and 41.7 percent from three-point range (5-12). Union outrebounded NJCU 47-34 and the +13 rebounding margin was its second widest of the season. The Dutchmen had a 16-6 edge on second-chance points. Union had nearly twice as many free throw attempts as NJCU and made 25-of-36 in a game largely decided at the line.
 
Senior guard Kevin Weckworth (Randleman, N.C.) scored 14 of his team-high 23 in the second half when he shot 3-of-8 after hitting just 3-of-11 in the opening half. Senior forward Garrett Johnson (Jericho, N.Y.) netted 14 of his 18 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double. He shot 6-of-10 overall and 4-of-6 from three-point distance.
 
Senior forward Greg King (Ridgefield, N.J.) had 14 points and nine rebounds in 38 minutes while junior guard Kevin McNoble (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. Senior forward Matt Liquori (Bethel, Conn.) played a full 40 minutes and grabbed 10 rebounds and five assists.
 
For NJCU, junior shooting guard Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) tallied 16 points (8-15 FG). Junior center Yuri Brutus (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) had seven points (3-3 FG) and junior forward Salomon Pierre (East Orange, NJ/Bloomfield Tech) blocked four shots off the bench.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Trailing by one (59-58) with 7:51 left, NJCU reclaimed the lead when Toney hit two foul shots with 7:15 left and after Weckworth missed two foul shots, Green sank a jumper off the glass for a 62-59 lead. Toney hit a foul shot with 6:19 to play to make the margin four.
 
But Union ignited for 11 straight points. With 5:59 left, Johnson hit his fourth three of the game in five tries to cut the deficit to one (63-62), then was fouled on a made layup to give Union back a 64-63 lead with 5:22 to play. He hit the foul shot for a 65-63 lead and NJCU's next shot was short.
 
Union gained momentum from the foul line with McNoble (4:59) and King (4:23 and 3:49) combining to make 5-of-6 from the stripe to boost the margin to seven, 70-63.
 
NJCU had open looks at the basket but its second half shooting struggles continued. However, Toney tried to will NJCU to a comeback. He hit a left baseline jumper with 2:57 left (70-65) and when Union stepped out of bounds with 2:35 to go, Toney made a fake handoff then buried a stepback three to cut the deficit to two, 70-68, with under 2:30 to play. NJCU still trailed by two, 71-69, with 1:40 left after the clubs traded free throws.
 
With 1:32 left, Weckworth hit two key foul shots (73-69). NJCU was still within striking distance but on the next possession an errant pass sailed into the crowd. NJCU regained possession after a Weckworth giveaway and freshman center Chika Wosu (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter)) hit one free throw with 46.9 to play to make it a three-point game (73-70). However NJCU could not get a defensive stop. With 29.6 left after a foul, Weckworth made two foul shots to push the lead to five (75-70) and down four, NJCU missed two three-point looks in the final 10 seconds.
 
In a game with five lead changes, NJCU led by 11 in the first half and looked great behind 15 points in 15 minutes from Toney (5-10 FG, 3-5 3FG). It led by as many as 13—a 35-22 advantage with 4:13 to play.
 
NJCU never trailed in the first half. Up 22-19, it scored seven straight to push the lead into double figures (29-19) after a three by Toney with one on the shot clock and a Green jumper from the foul line. When junior small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) buried a three from the left arc with 5:57 left, the lead swelled to 12, 34-22, and a free throw extended the scoring run to 13-3.
 
Brutus opened the second half hitting his first career three (seven shots) for a 48-34 lead. Union immediately responded with a 12-0 run. Weckworth answered with a three and baskets by McNoble and King gave Union a 7-0 run and cut the lead to 48-41. A missed defensive assignment allowed Liquori to drive the lane for two, cutting the lead to 48-43. Union extended the run to 12-0 when Johnson hit a three to pull within two (48-46). Baskets by Toney and Green made it 52-46 but Johnson answered with a putback for a 52-48 deficit.
 
With 13:41 left, Weckworth made it a one-point game (53-52) with a triple. Worthy hit a three off a Toney assist but Johnson hit a trey for his 12th point to again make it a one-point game and Union took its first lead of the game on a 2-on-1 fast break layup by Liquori with 11:43 left (57-56). A turnaround jumper in the lane by Green gave NJCU back a 58-57 lead heading to the under eight-minute media timeout before Union made the late push to victory.
 

 
QUOTABLES:
2018 NCAA Tournament Press Conference with Coach Marc Brown, Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) and Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown): https://youtu.be/Uz_7DHPenfU
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: First-ever meeting between NJCU and Union.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) scored in double figures for the 43rd time in 56 career games. He has scored 910 career points after two seasons and finished the 2017-18 season with 555 points (20.6 per game) and 261 rebounds (9.7 per game).
• Toney scored at least 20 points in a game for the 17th time in his career and the 14th time in 27 games this season.
• Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) reached double figures in scoring for the 21st time in 27 games as a Gothic Knight. For Green, it was the 38th double-digit scoring effort of his collegiate career.
• Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central)'s 12 assists were two more than his previous high of 10 accomplished twice this season—December 6 vs. Kean and January 24 vs. William Paterson.
• Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) scored in double figures for the fifth time in his career—all this season—and posted his second career double-double (January 24 vs. William Paterson).
• NJCU was playing in a postseason tournament—either NCAA or ECAC—for the 37th time in the last 40 years.  
• NJCU was making its 11th all-time appearance as an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament (as an independent Pool B or a Pool C)
• NJCU was making its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance—tied for the 11th most in Division III history and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons for the seventh time in its illustrious history.
• NJCU falls to 17-23 (.425) in 40 NCAA games. However, NJCU has not gotten out of the first round since it reached its sixth Sweet 16 in 2004.

 
GOTHIC KNIGHTS on SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the latest on #NJCUMBB, follow the Gothic Knights on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. Preferred hashtags are GothicFamily and GothicGameDay.