Jersey City, N.J - The New Jersey City University men's basketball team played in their final home game of the 2023-2024 season this afternoon, Feb. 10, against Stockton University. The team honored two seniors, guard Will Brown III (Jersey City, N.J., Hudson Catholic) and forward Daniel Rodriguez (Newark, N.J., Hudson Catholic) prior to tip-off. Unfortunately, despite an impressive first half display, the Gothic Knights were unable to cool off the Ospreys in the second, as Stockton surged back to defeat NJCU, 82-77. 
 
NJCU (7-17, 4-13 NJAC) and Stockton (15-8, 12-5 NJAC) began the game by trading runs and exchanging the lead. Junior guard Jaheim Lewis (Hillside, N.J., Hillside) began the scoring at 18:49 with a pull up jump shot from the elbow to take the first lead of the game. The Ospreys immediately responded with a 10-2 run, which would then be answered by the Gothic Knights with a 9-0 run of their own to regain the advantage, 13-11. With 6:51 left until the break, NJCU entered the bonus, and junior forward Malachi Gayton (East Orange, N.J., St. Mary's of Assumption) continued what was perfect shooting performance from the charity stripe in the first half for the Green and Gold, sinking both free throws to extend the Gothic Knight lead to 27-22. NJCU would follow up that run up with another, this time 5-0 to extend the lead to double digits with just over five minutes left before the break. Brown III (Jersey City, N.J., Hudson Catholic) scored the final field goal of the first half for NJCU with 1:05 left to go before the teams headed into the locker room, scoring the basket through contact and converting the and-one opportunity. NJCU would remain with the advantage at the intermission, 42-37, and shot a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line through the first 20 minutes. Defensively, the Green and Gold forced the Ospreys into 13 first half turnovers, five of which were steals.

Coming out of halftime, Brown III hit a pull up jump shot for the first basket of the half just under 30 seconds in. The Ospreys responded with their first points of the final frame by drilling back-to-back three-pointers to shave the Gothic Knight lead to one. Both squads struggled from the field in the first 10 minutes of the second, with only five field goals converted between both teams. Stockton regained the lead with 13:55 left, holding a 50-48 lead in search of their third straight win. Just a couple minutes later, junior guard Hakeem Wilson (Newark, N.J., North Star Academy) sunk his first three pointer of the game to reclaim the lead, 53-52. The lead went back and forth again for the next few minutes, with 6:46 left, the Ospreys would claim the last lead change of the game, en route to their third straight victory just one game before the NJAC playoffs.

Highlights
-Brown III led the Green and Gold in scoring, tying his career high in points, scoring 20 points in 38 minutes played, and finished 6-for-16 from the field, as well as 8-for-11 from the free throw line.
-Gayton's nine points led NJCU in bench production; NJCU outscored Stockton 21-7 in points off the bench.
-NJCU outscored Stockton 32-26 in points in the paint.

Up Next
The final game of the 2023-24 season for the Gothic Knights will be a NJAC bout on the road against Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday, Feb 14. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m.