GLASSBORO, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University senior point guard Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) now stands alone as the greatest scorer in the history of women's basketball in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. With 1:03 remaining in the third quarter of a fittingly closely-contested, road conference matchup against the top team in the league, Bacon hit a 25-foot three-pointer from right in front of her own bench for her 2,048th, 2,049th and 2,050th points—passing William Paterson's Michelle Jones who scored 2,048 points from 1987-91.
 
However, while Bacon's three helped NJCU (4-14, 1-10 NJAC) draw within three points at the end of three quarters against the first place team in the NJAC, the Gothic Knights couldn't quite complete their comeback against Rowan University (11-7, 9-2 NJAC) on January 19, falling by a final score of 82-75 at Esby Gymnasium.
 
Bacon had started the day in fourth on the all-time NJAC scoring list with 2,021 points, but in her 86th career game was able to pass all three of the names above her by game's end on a day where she produced her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 31 points on 6-of-11 three-point shooting and 10-24 field goals (5-of-7 free throws) with 11 rebounds and four steals in 37 minutes. With seven games remaining, Bacon will undoubtedly continue to add to that mark through the end of the season. She produced her 21st career 30-point scoring effort and fifth of the season.
 
First up was Val Brown (2,027), who played at Stockton from 1981-1985, whom Bacon passed at the 0:33 mark of the first quarter, appropriately coming on one of her six made three-pointers for the game. Next up was Melissa Tobie (2,041), who played at Montclair State from 2011-2015, whom Bacon passed with a free throw at the 6:47 mark in the third quarter before surpassing Jones later in the period.
 
The game itself was a barn burner, as well, although it certainly didn't look as if it would be near the game's start. The Knights were overwhelmed immediately by freshman center Ayanna Johnson (Ewing, N.J.), who had eight points and 13 rebounds in the first quarter alone, giving the Profs multiple second chances at the basket. As a result, Rowan stretched their lead as large as eight in the first—and were up 40-28 at the half, a score that looked like what is to be expected when the top team, by record, hosts the bottom team, by record, in the conference.
 
However, the Knights proved in the second half that they weren't going to fit neatly into that narrative. The Profs started the third hot, reaching a max lead of 18 at the 8:09 mark, before a 10-1 run for NJCU midway through the third, and a 12-3 run to end the quarter left the Profs up just three heading into the fourth, 58-55.
 
Freshman forward Zyearah Taylor-Gaston (Jersey City, NJ/Marist (via St. Anthony)) led off the fourth with a layup, two of her 11 points the second-highest total of her career)—bringing NJCU to within one of Rowan (58-57). Rowan quickly pushed back, however, using their size to score nine of the next 11 in a game in which they pulled down 66 rebounds; owning a +26 rebounding margin in the contest (40 for NJCU).
 
The Knights then turned to seniors Miesha Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) (18 points, five rebounds, four steals), and Christine Bizub (Fort Lee, NJ/Fort Lee) (eight points, three rebounds, two assists) to once again claw them back into the game, but they were never quite able to make it a one-possession game in the final 9:38, getting only as close as 74-70 with 1:23 to go.
 
Johnson was the Profs best player inside on the day, pacing the Profs with 19 rebounds, nine of which came on the offensive end. She also tallied 14 points, two blocks, and a pair of very cognizant assists late in the game when the Knights were collapsing on her entirely. Sophomore guard Alexis Kriley (Fair Lawn, N.J.) was the high scorer for Rowan, scoring 22 points (10-20 FG), with six rebounds, three assists, and two steals to round out her stat sheet. Dominique Peter (Lawrenceville, N.J.) had 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists and Paige Caldwell (Woodstown, N.J.) tacked on 10 points, eight boards and three assists to each finish with near-double-doubles.
 
With TCNJ's road game against Rutgers-Newark postponed on Saturday due to weather, Rowan moves into sole possession of first place in the NJAC.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 60th meeting, Rowan leads 48-12 and has won the last eight meetings.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) once again increased her scoring averaging, up to 25.8. She leads the NJAC in scoring, while likely staying third in the country in points per game. Her four steals keep her right at 4.8 steals per game on the season; she ranks third in the country in steals per game as well.
• Zyearah Taylor-Gaston (Jersey City, NJ/Marist (via St. Anthony)) had her third career double-digit scoring effort.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) has now scored in double figures 85 times in 86 career games between Kean (2015-18, 67 times in 68 games) and NJCU (18 times in 18 games). Other updated career totals for Bacon:
  • 20-Point Games: 59 (44 at Kean, 15 at NJCU)
  • 25-Point Games: 40 (30 at Kean, 10 at NJCU)
  • 30-Point Games: 21 (16 at Kean, five at NJCU)
  • 35-Point Games: 10 (eight at Kean, two at NJCU)
  • 40-Point Games: 5 (four at Kean; career high, 46 at NJCU)
• With 18 points, Miesha Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) scored in double figures for the 10th time in 18 games this season and the fifth game in a row.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) moved into second place on the single-season NJCU scoring list, passing Tara Mitchell (443 points, 23 games, 1997-98), Doris Nicholson (461 points, 27 games, 1988-89) and Chris Mosca (462 points, 22 games, 1980-81). She needs 156 points over the final seven games of the season to surpass Monique Hemingway's record of 620 points in 24 games in 1988-89. She would need to average 22.3 per game the rest of the year to reach the mark.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) is chasing multiple single-season NJCU records. Here are all updates through game 18 of the 2018-19 season.

Points
1.    620    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89
2.    465    Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) (18 games)     - 2018-19
3.    462    Chris Mosca (22 games)     - 1980-81
4.    461    Doris Nicholson (27 games)     - 1988-89
5.    443    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98
 
Scoring average (minimum 10 games)
1.    25.8    Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune)     (18 games)    2018-19
1.    25.8    Monique Hemingway     (24 games)    1988-89
3.    21.0    Chris Mosca     (22 games)    1980-81
4.    20.7    Patrice Hurt     (13 games)    1984-85
5.    19.3    Tara Mitchell     (23 games)    1997-98
 
Field goals made
1.    241    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89
2.    205    Doris Nicholson (27 games)     - 1988-89
3.    173    Doris Nicholson (22 games)     - 1987-88
4.    172    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98
5.    169    Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) (18 games)     - 2018-19
 
Field goals attempted
1.    477    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89
2.    471    Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) (18 games)     - 2018-19
3.    430    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98
4.    404    Lashawn Overton (22 games)     - 2008-09
5.    403    Ebony Cunningham (23 games)     - 2009-10
 
Free throws made
1.    154    Chris Mosca (22 games)     - 1980-81
2.    138    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89
3.    135    Bria Smith (25 games)     - 2014-15
4.    99    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98
5.    95    Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) (18 games)     - 2018-19
 
Steals average (minimum 10 games)
1.    5.4    Latrese McNair     (27 games)    2004-05
2.    5.1    Latrese McNair     (24 games)    2005-06
3.    4.8    Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune)     (18 games)    2018-19
4.    4.4    Latrese McNair     (25 games)    2006-07
5.    4.0    Monique Hemingway     (21 games)    1984-85
 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights host William Paterson University (9-9, 5-6 NJAC) on Wednesday, January 23 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m.

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

ALL-TIME SCORING LEADERS, NJAC HISTORY (SINCE 1982-83, DIVISION III ERA) (1500 or more points)
RK	POINTS	PLAYER	SCHOOL(S)	YEARS
1	2,052	Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune)	Kean (2015-18) and NJCU (2018-19)	2015-19
2	2,048	Michelle Jones	William Paterson	1987-91
3	2,041	Melissa Tobie	Montclair State	2011-15
4	2,027	Val Brown	Stockton	1981-85
5	1,974	Melissa Beyruti	Kean	2006-10
6	1,846	Tamara Carey	Rutgers-Camden	1991-95
7	1,806	Jenn Denby	Rowan	1994-98
8	1,758	Katie Sire	Montclair State	2015-18
9	1,757	Kim Wilson	Montclair State	1987-91
10	1,740	Floriana Borova	William Paterson	2010-14
11	1,732	Tammy Steele	Rowan	1982-86
12	1,702	BriAnna Lucas	William Paterson	2008-12
13	1,682	Sherry Patterson	William Paterson	1983-87
14	1,673	Monique Hemingway	NJCU	1984-87, 88-89
15	1,669	Katina Johnson	Ramapo	1990-94
16	1,648	April Smith	William Paterson	2008-12
17	1,643	Joy Silver	Rutgers-Camden	1999-2003
18	1,629	Kelli Bakanowsky	Stockton	1999-2003
19	1,541	Linda Long	Stockton	1988-92
20	1,518	Kimm Lacken	TCNJ	1984-88
21	1,514	Chris Mosca	NJCU	1980-84 *
22	1,503	Najha Treadwell	Kean (2014-15) and Stockton (2015-18)	2014-18
Records based on information submitted by NJAC institutions. Official NCAA women's basketball records began with the 1981-82 season and are based on information submitted to the NCAA statistics service by institutions participating in the weekly statistics rankings.   * Official career records include only those seasons in Division III during the era of official NCAA statistics, which began with the 1981-82 season. Three-point field goals were added in 1987-88. Rutgers-Newark does not have a reported 1,500-point scorer.   Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State scored 3,199 points from 1974-78, prior to the Division III era. Terry Cole scored 2,240 points for Rutgers-Camden from 1979-83, but played just one season during the NJAC Division III era.