IMMACULATA, Pa. – The New Jersey City University women's basketball fell tonight, Thursday, Dec. 16, in a non-conference contest on the road to Immaculata University. The squad dropped the high-scoring affair, 94-85. The women battled back and forth throughout the game, including cutting a 20-point deficit down to four points in the third quarter, but could not stick with the hot-shooting from the Mighty Macs.

Jersey City (3-3) started the game strong, with four different Knights scoring the first eight points for the squad. The Mighty Macs (7-2) found their touch in the middle of the first quarter, going on a 10-0 run to separate themselves heading into the second quarter, leading by 11 points. The NJCU women found success and went on a 10-2 run on their own in the second quarter. However, the Immaculata bench then stepped up for the Macs in the second quarter, outscoring the Knights 16-5. After a deep fast-break three-pointer by freshmen Olivia Wooten (East Orange, N.J./Immaculate Conception), the Green and Gold were able to cut the lead to down four points. The Macs answered quickly by ending the first half on a 10-5 run to lead by a score of 45-37 with 20:00 minutes to play. 

In the third quarter, the Macs started to run away with the ball game. However, NJCU was not done yet as a quick three-pointer by junior sharp-shooter Laney Fox (Parkland, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons) and two free throws by fellow junior Jada Camacho (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) had the Knights trailing again by four points with 16 minutes left in the second half. But again, in the game of runs, Immaculata went on a 13-2 run to slow the momentum down from the Gothics Knights. NJCU went into the final quarter trailing by 17 points.

The Knights could have let down and allowed the Mighty Macs run away with the victory, but the squad put up a tough fight, outscoring Immaculata 29-21 in the quarter. NJCU dominated in the paint, outscoring the home team 14-8. Also, the Knights found benefit in pushing the pace, as they outscored the Macs 7-0 in the fast break. Being down 20 entering the quarter, Fox hit a crucial jump-shot with 4:26 to play in the game to cut the lead down to nine. NJCU was unable to come back from that gap, however, ending the game 94-85. 

The squad was led by freshman Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) and Camacho, who both had the team-high in points (19). Rodriguez included five takeaways and dished out six assists, while Camacho took down six boards and four dimes. Also, Fox finished the game with 18 points, three steals and five rebounds. Wooten finished her evening with 11 points and fellow freshman guard Taija'Ney McCollum (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) had 10 points, respectively. 

Up next for the Gothic Knights will be some time-off, as they return home to the court in two weeks, on Thursday, Dec. 30, against the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg. The non-conference matchup is set for 1:00 p.m at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) in Jersey City. If you cannot attend, make sure to follow along via the livestream on GothicVision.