JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | For the first time in program history, the New Jersey City University women's basketball team is 3-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Gothic Knights outscored Stockton 20-10 in the second quarter to create separation and led by double figures the entire second half in a decisive 70-56 win over Stockton University in the opener of a home-and-home NJAC series on February 12 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
 
NJCU (3-0, 3-0 NJAC) received a combined 50 points from senior wing Dayjah Anderson (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech), freshman point guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) and sophomore guard Zianna Goda (Roselle, NJ/Newark Tech) while sophomore forward Sarah Edmond (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) and senior power forward Ayanna Lewis (Willingboro, NJ/Burlington County institute of Technology) combined for 17 rebounds in each player's season debuts.
 
The Gothic Knights shot better than 50 percent from three-point range for the second straight outing (4-7, 57.1 percent) and their defense stifled the Ospreys (0-3, 0-3 NJAC). Stockton shot just 28.8 percent for the game (17-59) and were 3-of-17 from three-point range (.176). NJCU's opponents have shot less than 30 percent from three-point range in all three outings this year including back-to-back efforts of 20 percent or worse.
 
Anderson and Rodriguez equaled a game-high 17 points; Anderson shot 7-of-15 from the field with seven rebounds and three assists while Rodriguez buried 3-of-4 three-point shots and handed out six assists with three steals. Goda came off the bench to score 16 points (5-8 FG) in only 17 minutes of action, including 10 points in the second quarter.
 

Edmond continued where she left off a year ago with nine rebounds and six points (3-5 FG) while Lewis had eight boards and two blocks. Freshman center Briana Davis (Bronx, NY/Lincoln (via County Prep)) contributed eight rebounds, seven points and two blocks in her first career start. Senior guard Mya Neal (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech) added seven rebounds.
 
Sophomore guard Maddie McCracken led Stockton with 16 points and six rebounds while sophomore forward Ionyonia Alves had a game-high 10 rebounds and 11 points for a double-double in defeat. Emily Donzanti scored 11, adding five assists.
 
NJCU jumped out to a 13-7 lead powered by seven points from Rodriguez before Stockton used a 9-0 run to take a 16-13 edge late in the opening quarter. NJCU forced a 16-16 tie after 10 minutes. Stockton regained two slim leads early in the second quarter — the final at 20-18 — before the Knights seized control. A 10-0 run allowed the Knights to roar in front 28-20, powered by a three-point play by Goda, and Goda's triple with 1:45 to go in the half extended the run to 13-2 and the margin to 31-22. Rodriguez buried a three at the halftime buzzer for the second straight home game and the Knights' cushion was 10—36-26—at the intermission.
 
NJCU was never challenged again. The Knights defense locked down any comeback bid from the Ospreys in the second half. NJCU led by as many as 15 three times early in the third quarter and pushed the advantage to 16 (51-35) with 1:03 left in the period when Anderson scored her final field goal of the game. NJCU twice led by 16 in the fourth quarter before punctuating a 14-point decision.
 
"Personally, it feels good that we are 3-0," said third-year head coach Patrick Devaney, Sr. "but I won't be happy until we finish the regular season [in 2021] 8-0. We know it could change really quick — the momentum — so I am happy with the 3-0 but I'm not satisfied. I'm not pleased with the missed free throws and layups today, but I am pleased with the win and I want these kids to understand they need to be consistent and persistent. But we are where we want to be right now, 3-0, and we are just going to get better. I'm hoping the switch goes on after this game that if they do all the right things, they could win by larger margins and we could feel more comfortable in the driver seat."
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 67th meeting, Stockton leads 52-16. NJCU has won two of the last three matchups.
• Dayjah Anderson (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech) scored in double figures for the 19th time in 27 games at NJCU. 

 
UP NEXT:

• In game two of their home-and-home series, NJCU heads to Stockton on Saturday, February 13 at 4 p.m. in Galloway, N.J. Watch live or follow the live stats.

 
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