GLASSBORO, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In a rematch of the 2018-19 New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship, it was yet another barn burner between New Jersey City University (4-3, 2-1 NJAC) and Rowan University (3-3, 1-2 NJAC), with the Gothic Knights prevailing by a final score of 94-91 at Esby Gymnasium on Saturday, December 7. The win was the 200th of his career for NJCU head coach Marc Brown, who, along with his father, Charlie Brown, have a combined 683 wins at NJCU — the most of any father-son combination at one school in college basketball history.
 
In last year's title game, the Knights held a six-point lead with 3:32 to go before a late run from the Profs gave them the win; this year, NJCU once again held a narrow margin late in the second half, but this time the Knights were able to execute down the stretch, get a big shot from junior transfer guard Tarique Holmes (Jersey City, NJ/Bayonne), and pull out the impressive road victory.
 
It was senior power forward and First-Team All-American Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) who, after a quiet last outing, had a monster game for the Knights, tallying a game-high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds, on a night in which he passed his assistant coach, Abdul Madison (1,457 points, 1993-97), for a spot in the Top 10 in school history for points scored (1,474). 
 
Toney was far from a one-man show, however, as junior guard Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/East Orange Campus) continued his steady approach to the 2019-20 season with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, and Holmes chipped in a dozen off the bench, including his late dagger that put the Knights ahead for good.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Head coach Marc Brown continued to look for the perfect new starting five, slotting sophomore Kayton Darley (West New York, NJ/North Bergen) into the backcourt for the first start of his NJCU career, alongside Toney, Banks, Quadri Moore (Linden, NJ/Linden), and Adonius Melvins, Jr.
• The two teams traded baskets on their respective first possessions of the game, setting the tone for what would be a high-scoring affair all afternoon.
• It was the Knights who made the first mini-run of the game, rattling off 10 straight points — capped by a Toney three — to take an early 10-2 advantage less than two minutes into the game.
• The Knights fast start continued on the offensive end, as they tallied 19 points in the game's first five minutes, with four of the five starters getting buckets, and Toney scoring 10 in that five-minute stretch, alone.
• For the rest of the half, the two teams stayed right around that same margin, with the veteran Profs weathering the early storm and eventually cutting the margin to just six heading into the break (52-46).
• The 52 first-half points for NJCU were the first time the Knights topped 50 in a half all season.
• The Profs got off to a quick start in the second, tying things up at 54-54 at the 17:54 mark on a Jerry Price (Philadelphia, Pa.) free throw. The senior guard led the way for the Profs all night, scoring 21 points and racking up four steals from his backcourt spot.
• The Profs eventually took their first lead since 2-0 at the 13:09 mark in the second, on a nice baseline move from junior guard Matt Green (Haddon Heights, N.J.), who had 10 points, five assists, and four rebounds as the Rowan sixth man on Saturday. Senior forward Austin Kearney (Monroeville, N.J.) also contributed a double-double with 13 points and 13 boards, while senior guard Malik Sanders (Sicklerville, N.J.) had 13 and nine of his own.
• The Knights were not deterred, however, as Holmes and freshman center Michael Clement (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) both started to make big contributions off the bench, evening things back up for the Knights, and then giving them back the lead at the 10:50 mark.
• For the next few minutes, every Rowan basket had an answer from the Knights. NJCU got up by as much as seven, but once again Rowan clawed their way back, this time evening things up at 82-82 on a pair of Green free throws at the 3:52 mark.
• A Jeff Haddock Jr. (Las Vegas, NV/Willingboro (NJ)) three from the top of the key was immediately answered by a pair of Rowan baskets, giving them the 86-85 edge with 2:34 to go.
• Rowan once again went up 88-86 at the 2:11 mark, but an instant answer on a Holmes drive and then a massive challenge three from Holmes again — when he was left open on the right wing — gave the Knights the 91-88 lead with under a minute to go.
• On the ensuing possession, Price drew contact, but he missed the second free throw after making the first, putting the Knights in a great spot. Up two, with just 49 second remaining, NJCU worked the clock, eventually getting the ball to Toney on the left block, who missed his turnaround jumper but hustled after his miss, snagging the rebound and throwing it off an unsuspecting Rowan player to retain possession for the Knights with now just 20.8 seconds remaining.
• Toney made his two free throws when the Profs fouled, extending the NJCU lead to 93-89, but the Knights committed a cardinal sin, fouling a three-point shooter, allowing Price to go to the line just seven seconds later. Price missed the first but made the next two, and a subsequent foul on Haddock sent the Rowan transfer and current Gothic Knight to the line with a two-point lead and just seven seconds to go — a chance to sink his former team.
• Haddock missed the first but made the second, which proved to be enough, as the Profs raced down the floor but couldn't connect on their last-second shot from downtown, giving the Knights the 94-91 victory.

 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 126th known meeting. With the victory, NJCU has now evened up the all-time series, 63-63.
• Both teams had exactly 13 assists and 21 turnovers for the game, with the Knights slightly more proficient in turning those mistakes into points, with a 22-18 edge in points off turnovers.
• One huge advantage for NJCU was beyond the arc, where the Knights hit 10-25 threes, while Rowan went just 5-24 from deep. Guarding opposing three-point shooters had been an area of weakness for the Knights in recent losses.
• The two teams combined for 71 free throws in a game in which 50 fouls were called.
• Darley had an NJCU career-high in both points (10) and minutes (30).

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU will look to build on this momentum in an important NJAC home game on Wednesday, December 11 when Montclair State University (5-2, 3-0 NJAC) comes to town for an 8:00 p.m. tipoff. 

 
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