JERSEY CITY, N.J. — After a tough offensive outing just one day prior, the New Jersey City University women's basketball team rebounded and built some momentum on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 4, at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) against #9/3 Amherst College. The Mammoths won the game, 76-68, over the Gothic Knights in an offensive showdown.
Jersey City (1-5) started the game off slowly as the first quarter saw the least amount of points in the game for both sides. NJCU kept the game even at 4-4 in the first three minutes as junior guard
Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) dished first of her game-best eight assists to junior forward
Kyara Cowan (Maywood, N.J./Hackensack). The turning point in the first, though, saw Amherst (5-0) go on a 7-0 run, while NJCU went scoreless for nearly four minutes, as the Mammoths led 11-4. Jersey City ended up only allowing five more points in the quarter while scoring six to end the first trailing 16-10.
The second quarter was the highest-scoring on the day as both the Mammoths and NJCU combined for 41 points. The Green and Gold opened up quickly in the first minute with a 5-0 run. Rodriguez dished out her third assist to sophomore forward
Briana Davis (Bronx, N.Y./Lincoln (via County Prep)) before making her first three of the contest to bring the score to 16-15, Amherst. Both teams continued to trade makes over the next three minutes, but it was Davis who stood out in the second, making both a pull up jump shot and a three from the top of the key to bring the score to 24-23, with Amherst still leading.
Unfortunately for the Green and Gold, despite the momentum, they were unable to capture the lead. The game's turning point that derailed momentum for NJCU came in the final three minutes of the first half after Rodriguez made her second three of the game. Amherst closed out the half on a 9-0 run to take a 39-28 lead at the break. Rodriguez led NJCU with 10 points at the half.
The third saw Davis again come out of the gates hot for NJCU as she converted two layups in the paint to crack double digits with 11 points. NJCU trailed 39-33 at that point. Unfortunately for Davis, foul trouble hindered her the remainder of the game as she committed her fourth foul early in the third before fouling out later in the game. During that time, the Mammoths went on a 13-0 run that saw NJCU trail 55-35. The Gothic Knights trailed by a game-high 21 in the third when Amherst made it 59-38, but Jersey City battled back late in the quarter with a 9-0 run of its own to make the score 59-47 at the end of the third.
The fourth saw runs continue for both sides as the Mammoths opened up the first 2:30 with a 5-0 run before NJCU answered back with a 5-0 of its own with assistance from freshman guard
Elyssa Russo (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) to make the score 64-52. After both teams traded scores, Jersey City went on a 13-7 run, led by Rodriguez, who nailed three critical jump shots, including a floater with 1:04 left in the game to give her 30 points, as well as cut the deficit to six at 71-65. NJCU allowed two more points at the free throw line before Rodriguez made her last three of the game to bring Jersey City within five, 73-68 with 10 seconds left. Unfortunately, the Mammoth's strong day at the charity stripe paid the biggest dividend, as they shot 26-of-33, compared to NJCU's 13-of-18, aiding in the final score of a 76-68 loss for NJCU.
Up Next :
Jersey City returns home to the JMAC Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 6:00 p.m. to continue New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. The Gothic Knights take on Ramapo College, with the men's game to follow.
