UNION, N.J. – The New Jersey City University men's basketball team squared off on the road with New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) foe Kean University on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 27. A strong first half of play saw NJCU take a six-point lead into the second, but it was the Cougars who outscored the Gothic Knights by nine in the latter 20 minutes en route to the 66-63 win.
 
The Green and Gold (6-14, 3-10 NJAC) saw sophomore Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) step into a starting role against Kean (10-10, 7-6 NJAC) and the two-guard had a career day with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-11 from the floor to go with four boards, one assist and a game-high-tying three steals. Junior point guard Hakeem Wilson (Newark, N.J./North Star Academy) led NJCU in scoring with 17 to go with five rebounds, a team-high-tying three assists and two steals.
 
The Gothic Knights started off the day strong and eventually built up an eight-point lead at 11-3 with 12:04 remaining in the first half. Kean cut the deficit back down to two points on a few occasions down the stretch, but NJCU retook momentum by scoring six straight with buckets from Rogers-Robinson, junior forward Malachi Gayton (East Orange, N.J./St. Mary's of Assumption) and Wilson to once again lead by eight – Rogers-Robinson then answered a Cougars' free throw with another jumper to give his squad a nine-point, 29-20 lead with 2:47 left until the break. Kean chipped away slightly and finished the first up, 31-25.
 
The Cougars, however, scored 13 of the first 17 points to start the second and led by four at 39-34 with 15:05 left. The teams then traded leads and ties nearly 10 times over the next 14-plus minutes. Tied up at 55-55 with 4:16 left, Wilson and Rogers-Robinson scored back-to-back buckets to put their team up by four at 59-55 with 3:21 remaining. NJCU again led by four after Rogers-Robinson draining another jumper at 2:04 to make it a 61-57 game. However, Kean scored seven straight points to take a three-point lead with just eight seconds left. Wilson drew a foul seconds later and made both of his shots from the line to cut the deficit down to one at 64-63 with five seconds to go.
 
The Cougars answered with a couple made foul shots of their own with two seconds left and, as the buzzer sounded, Wilson launched up a desperation three, but it was not to be as Kean came away with the three-point win at home.
 
Highlights:
- NJCU was strong on the glass all day and outrebounded Kean 42-30. That led to a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points.
- Senior forward Avante Gilbert (Paterson, N.J./International) and Gayton each chipped in eight points. Gilbert also had four rebounds, two blocks and two assists, while Gayton had five rebounds and a block.
 
Up Next:
The Gothic Knights return home for the first time in 11 days this Wednesday night, Jan. 31, for a 7:30 p.m. clash at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) with NJAC foe Ramapo College on Coach Charlie Brown Court.