JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University men's basketball team put forth its highest offensive output in nearly eight years tonight, Wednesday, Dec. 13. The Gothic Knights, squaring off with New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Rowan University at home on Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC), went point-for-point with the Profs all night long. Eventually, after junior guard Hakeem Wilson (Newark, N.J./North Star Academy) sank a free throw with four seconds left in the second half, the squads headed to overtime knotted up at 100-100. NJCU later built up a three-point lead with 3:01 to go in overtime, but it was Rowan that came out on top in the end, 114-111 over 45 minutes of action. The point total was the most the Gothic Knights have ever scored in a NJAC defeat.

The Green and Gold (2-8, 1-5 NJAC) got off to a slow start against the Profs (7-4, 3-3 NJAC), trailing by 14 at 28-14 with 12:49 to go in the first half. However, a 12-2 run changed their fortunes and made it a four-point game at 30-26 with 9:46 remaining until the break — junior forward Malachi Gayton (East Orange, N.J./St. Mary's of Assumption) scored five points over that span. NJCU eventually trimmed it down to a three-point deficit after graduate student co-captain forward Daniel Rodriguez (Newark, N.J./Hudson Catholic) sank a layup at 7:46 to make it 36-33. Rowan stretched its lead back out to 11 on a couple off occasions down the stretch of the first half, but the Gothic Knights once again clawed back to make it a four-point, 57-53 game following a buzzer-beating three from Wilson after 20 minutes of play.

Rowan stretched that lead back out to eight points as late as 17:00 left in the second half. However, NJCU later went on a 9-0 run and took its first lead since it was 4-3 at the 18:30 mark of the first. Trailing by five at 71-66 with 14:10 to go in regulation, senior forward Avante Gilbert (Paterson, N.J./International) sank a jumper, followed by another one from sophomore guard Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) off a steal from Rodriguez. Senior co-captain guard Will Brown III (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) drained a shot of his own to put the Gothic Knights up, 72-71 for the lead and converted on the three-point play to make it 73-71. Rogers-Robinson closed out the run with two made free throws to put NJCU ahead. 75-71 with 11:16 left.

The Profs, however, retook the lead at 82-77 with 8:39 left, but another 8-0 run put the Gothic Knights up, 85-83, with points coming from Wilson, Brown III, junior forward Ryan Savoy (Lakewood, N.J./Lakewood) and Gilbert. The teams traded the lead back and forth over the next several minutes before it was the Profs once again who held the lead, this time by four points at 100-96 with only 1:20 to go. After a botched dunk for Rowan, Wilson ended up with possession on the other end and drilled a three with 39 seconds to go. A missed Rowan three with 26 seconds to go led to a chance for NJCU and Wilson drove the basket and drew the foul. He split his free throws with four seconds to go to send it overtime.

Brown III put his team up two once again with a nice three-point play with 3:31 to go in overtime before a jumper from Savoy made it 106-103 at 3:01 left in OT. Five straight points for the Profs put the visitors ahead by two at 108-106, but Rodriguez sank a pair of foul shots to tie it up at 108 apiece with 53 seconds remaining. Rowan then managed to go back up by five with just 16 seconds to go and NJCU then scored three straight on foul shots to cut it back down to two. After the Profs split a pair of free throws with just three seconds left, NJCU ended up with a decent look for three at the buzzer to try and force another overtime, but it was not meant to be.

Highlights:
- Wilson led NJCU with a team- and career-best 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He added a career- and team-high six assists to go with five rebounds and a game-best four steals, which ties his career high.
- Gilbert was also in double figures with an efficient 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 7-of-8 from the line. He added five rebounds and two blocks.
- Brown III finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Martin had a coming out party with 12 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting performance and 2-of-2 from the line.
- Rogers-Robinson also chipped in 11 points apiece, with Gayton leading all Gothic Knights with nine rebounds. 

Up Next
The Gothic Knights resume play on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 16, still at home for a non-conference clash with Saint Elizabeth University, beginning at 2:00 p.m.