MAHWAH, N.J. — The New Jersey City University men's basketball team traded the lead 19 times and saw the score tied 15 more times during the squad's Wednesday night, Dec. 6, New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) road match-up with Ramapo College. NJCU led the Roadrunners by as many as four points midway through the first half and took a two-point lead with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, however it was Ramapo that eventually came out on top, 83-77, thanks in part to a perfect 14-of-14 team performance from the foul line.

As mentioned, the Green and Gold (2-6, 1-3 NJAC) went back and forth with the Roadrunners (7-2, 3-1 NJAC) throughout tonight's contest. With 13:45 to go in the first, NJCU trailed by four at 14-10, but managed to go on a game-best 8-0 run to take a team-high four-point, 18-14 lead with 10:52 to go until the break — four different players scored for the Gothic Knights over that stretch. The visitors then trailed by five with under a minute until the half, but managed to sink back-to-back jumpers from guards junior Hakeem Wilson (Newark, N.J./North Star Academy) and sophomore Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) to make it a one-point, 38-37 game at the break.

Those four points, combined with a three-point play from senior forward Avante Gilbert (Paterson, N.J./International) to start the next period, put NJCU up by two early on in the second. Ramapo built back up to a five-point lead at 48-43 with 16:22 to go, but the Gothic Knights once again answered, this time with an 8-2 run to take back the lead at 51-50 with 13:17 remaining — and again, four players scored two points apiece for NJCU over that stretch.

Back down by five with just 8:57 left, the Gothic Knights went on an 11-4 run to go up by two with 6:03 on the clock. Senior co-captain guard Will Brown III (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) had five points, while Wilson had four. After the Roadrunners retook the lead by one with 4:45 to go, it was junior forward Ryan Savoy (Lakewood, N.J./Lakewood) that drained a big three at the 4:07 mark to put NJCU up by two at 75-73. Ramapo took the lead back, but graduate student co-captain forward Daniel Rodriguez (Newark, N.J./Hudson Catholic) tied it back up at 77-77 with just 00:43 remaining in the game. However, the Roadrunners converted on the game-winning layup with 00:18 to go, and iced it with four made foul shots down the stretch to cement the 83-77 game.

Highlights:
- Gilbert scored in double-figures for the six time in seven games played this season, leading NJCU with 15 points.
- Rodriguez finished with career best marks in points (14) and rebounds (game-high-tying 10) for the first double-double of his collegiate career. He also blocked a career- and game-best four shots.
- Wilson and Brown III each chipped in 12 points. Wilson also had a team-best four assists, while Brown III notched seven boards.
- Savoy came off the bench for eight points and seven rebounds over 30 minutes on the floor.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 9, back on Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) for another NJAC game, this time against Kean University. Tip-off against the Cougars is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.