JERSEY CITY, N.J. — A pair of first-year Gothic Knights — rookie Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) and sophomore Zianna Goda (Roselle, NJ/Newark Tech) — dominated from beyond the arc, combining to go 8-of-10, as the New Jersey City University women's basketball team topped Kean University 79-42 at home in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) competition on Saturday, Feb. 6. In total, NJCU tied two team single-game program records, making 12 three-pointers and shooting 70.6 percent from long range — both of which also happened on Feb. 9, 2019, against Rutgers University-Camden.

Both squads got out to a slow start in the first quarter, but NJCU (2-0, 2-0 NJAC) was able to take an 11-point lead with just under six minutes left in the second. However, the Cougars (0-2, 0-2 NJAC) were able to claw their way back into the game with a 7-0 run and make it a four-point contest at 19-15 with 3:32 remaining until the half.

Kean was able to keep it close until the 1:30 mark of the second (21-17) before a pair of quick three-pointers by Rodriguez in the final 40 seconds pushed the Gothic Knights ahead by eight for a 27-19 halftime advantage.

From the start of the second half until the final buzzer following the fourth quarter, NJCU dominated both ends of the court and were able to pull out the 37-point victory.

Overall, Rodriguez was 9-of-16 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three, to finish with a game-high 23 points and four assists. She was followed closely by senior Dayjah Anderson (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech), who poured in 20 points for the second-straight game and added eight rebounds to lead all players. Goda was the third and final Knight to finish in double-figures scoring, notching 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting plus 2-of-2 from the line.

Highlights:

• NJCU was able to force 22 Kean turnovers and converted that effort into 28 points, to just three from the Cougars.
• Not only were the Gothic Knights efficient from three, but they also shot 81.3 percent (13-of-16) from the foul line. Kean was just 4-of-11 (36.4 percent).
• Freshman Nahjeemah Holmes (Elizabeth, NJ/John E. Dwyer Tech) saw 31 minutes off the bench, totaling eight points, three steals and a game-high-tying eight rebounds.

NJCU returns to action for its next NJAC home-and-home series when Stockton University comes to the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) on Friday, Feb. 12, for a 7:00 p.m. contest. Although no fans are permitted to attend games this season, be sure to catch all the action between the Gothic Knights and Ospreys live at NJCUAthletics.com/GothicVision.