JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 2 seeded Rowan University used an 11-2 run in the final 3:32, including the final seven points of the game, and sophomore guard Matt Green (Haddon Heights, N.J.) broke a 77-77 tie when he buried a three-pointer from the right wing with 10.3 seconds left as the Profs rallied to upset No. 1 seeded New Jersey City University, 80-77, in the 2019 New Jersey Athletic Conference championship game on February 22 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
Rowan (21-6) wins its first NJAC championship since 1999 and with it the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Gothic Knights fall to 20-7 overall and lose at home for the first time all season (12-1). The Knights, ranked second in the NCAA Atlantic Region behind Rowan, will likely receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. The NCAA selection show airs on Monday, February 22 at 12:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.
 
NJCU was playing in front of the largest home crowd in the 26-year history of the John Moore Center—1,523 fans—with more than 2500 more watching the broadcast live.
 
NJCU trailed by as many as nine in the first three minutes of the second half (47-38) but turned the tables in the middle of the period and seized a 75-69 advantage when senior shooting guard Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) drilled a pull-up three from the left arc.
 
Rowan wouldn't go away. Senior guard Rob DePersia (Cherry Hill, N.J.) hit two foul shots (3:09) and after Rowan got the ball back after a non-foul call that led to a steal, senior guard DaRon Curry (Deptford, N.J.) drove to the hoop for two. NJCU senior guard James Richardson (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) tried to respond with a running one-hander to make it 77-73 with 1:34 to go.
 
But Rowan would score the next seven to win it. Junior forward Austin Kearney (Monroeville, N.J.) finished a pass from Curry with 1:22 left to make it 77-75 and after a straight-away three by two-time NJAC Player of the Year Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) rimmed out, Curry tied it at 77-77, driving to the left side of the rim and hitting the deck with 55 seconds left.
 
NJCU had the ball but Richardson's drive to the basket was blocked. Rowan got the ball back with a seven-second differential between the game and shot clock and with 10.3 to go, Curry found Green for this only three-point attempt of the game and he nailed it.

 
NJCU tried to set up one final game-tying shot after a timeout. Senior point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) got the inbounds pass to Toney but he was well defended. Worthy was forced to shoot with 2.8 seconds on the clock but his bid to tie it hit the back iron.
 
Rowan had five players in double figures while NJCU had four more. Richardson matched a game-high with 19 points (7-18 FG) and four assists, scoring 15 in the second half. Senior guard Nick DePersia (Cherry Hill, N.J.) equaled that total with 19 for Rowan, shooting 5-of-12 from three-point range (7-16 FG) in 35 minutes.
 
For NJCU, Toney scored 13, adding six rebounds and sophomore guard Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/East Orange Campus) added 12 points and four steals. Senior forward Yuri Brutus (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) finished with 10 points and six rebounds while senior small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) collected eight rebounds and six points in 20 minutes before fouling out. Green scored nine and Worthy chipped in six points, four assists and four steals.
 
For Rowan, senior forward Ramon Wright (Newark, N.J.), the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year, finished with 15 points (7-12 FG), nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Curry had 11 (5-9 FG) and five assists, with his biggest plays coming in the final stretch. Kearney tallied 14 points (5-9 FG) and right rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench. Rob DePersia totaled 12 points (2-5 3FG), five assists and three steals.
 
The title game had 12 lead changes and 10 ties and Rowan led by four (38-34) at the half. Neither side led by more than six in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Rowan used a 9-2 run early in the second half to take a 47-38 lead on a layup by Curry. NJCU continued to trail 52-44 but Richardson sparked a comeback. He hung in the air for a beautiful driving layup and completed a three-point play. After Kearney missed a dunk, Richardson again scored in transition and drew contact for a three-point play and ignited the crowd. Richardson then stole the ball and that set up a possession where Julius buried a three to put NJCU in front, 53-52 with 12:15 left. It remained a one or two possession game almost the entirety of the rest of the game.
 
Green hit four foul shots with 9:45 left but Rob DePersia sank a triple to put Rowan back on top, 64-63. Worthy nailed a shot from the far-right corner to put NJCU back on top (66-64) and Richardson was fouled, hitting two foul shots for a 68-64 lead. Nick DePersia made it a one-point game (70-69) before Green buried the triple with 3:32 to go to give NJCU a shot to win.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series:  125th known meeting. Rowan leads all-time, 63-62.
• Rowan won its 11th NJAC championship. The Profs have won titles in: 1957-58, 1958-59, 1962-63, 1970-71 (tie), 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1998-99 and now 2018-19.
• NJCU is 7-6 all-time in the NJAC Tournament championship game and 6-4 at home in the finals.
• NJCU and Rowan have met 10 times in the NJAC Tournament with the Profs owning a 6-4 all-time record. NJCU is now 4-3 at home against Rowan. Prior to tonight, Rowan's last win over NJCU in the NJAC Tournament was February 24, 1999 (72-60).  
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) is 11th in school history with 1,343 points.
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) scored in double figures for the 64th time in 83 career games.
• Yuri Brutus (Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) scored in double figures for the 12th time this year and the 31st time in his career.
• James Richardson (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) scored in double figures for the 11th time in his only season playing for NJCU.
• Denzel Banks (Newark, NJ/East Orange Campus) scored in double figures for the 15th time in 27 games in his first season playing for NJCU.

 
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