By: Contact: Ira Thor | @irapthor (201/200-3301) or Jim Turvey
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 1 seeded
New Jersey City University (20-6, 14-4 NJAC) will face No. 2 seeded Rowan University (20-6, 13-5 NJAC) for the 2019 New Jersey Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament championship on Friday, February 22 at 7 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). The winner claims the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. NJCU is seeking a record 13th NJAC championship and its first since 2011. Rowan is looking for its 11th title and its first since 1999.
ADMISSION:
BRACKET: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/2019NJACFinalsBracket
COVERAGE:
LOCATION: The John Moore Athletic Center is located at 110 Culver Avenue in Jersey City and is two blocks from the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail's Westside Avenue station.
Free parking is available in Lot 3 on Carbon Place, a two-block walk to the John Moore Center. Premium parking is available in the Culver Avenue garage.
SERIES: This will be the 125th known meeting between NJCU and Rowan. The all-time series is even, 62-62.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS in 2018-19: NJCU defeated Rowan, 76-68, in Jersey City on December 1 but Rowan got redemption with an 84-80 come-from-behind win in Glassboro, N.J. on January 19.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Both NJCU and Rowan received byes into the NJAC Semifinals by virtue of being the top two finishers in the NJAC regular-season standings. NJCU ousted No. 4 seeded and two-time defending champion Ramapo College, 66-58, in one semifinal. Rowan defeated No. 3 Montclair State, 95-86, in the other semifinal in Glassboro, N.J.
RANKINGS: Rowan is the new No. 1 ranked team in the NCAA Atlantic Region announced on February 20. NJCU, ranked No. 1 in the region the previous two weeks, slipped to No. 2 after losing on the road against regionally No. 3 ranked Ramapo a week ago (February 13) in the regular-season finale.
NJCU received 12 points in the
Week 11 D3hoops.com Top 25 national poll, equivalent to a No. 34 national listing.
NJCU vs. Rowan/Jersey City State vs. Glassboro State in the NJAC Tournament: NJCU and Rowan have met nine times in the NJAC Tournament with the Profs owning a 5-4 all-time record. NJCU is 4-2 at home against Rowan and has won the last two meetings in the league tournament—both at home—in 2004 and 2011. That last meeting was a 75-72 win for NJCU over Rowan in the NJAC Quarterfinals on February 19, 2011. The matchup in 2004, an 88-75 win, was in the NJAC championship game. Rowan's last win over NJCU in the NJAC Tournament was February 24, 1999 (72-60)
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: NJCU owns an undefeated 12-0 home court record this season.
NJCU in the NJAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: NJCU is 7-5 all-time in the NJAC Tournament championship game and 6-3 at home in the finals.
NJCU CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: NJCU has won a league-record 12 NJAC championships: 1960-61, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1978-79, 1985-86, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1994-95, 2003-04 and 2010-11. The 1978-79 championship was its first under the NJAC Tournament format.
ROWAN CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Rowan last won an NJAC championship in 1998-99. The Profs have won 10 league titles in its history: 1957-58, 1958-59, 1962-63, 1970-71 (tie), 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1998-99.
Please check back for additional notes leading up to the championship game.
