CAMDEN, N.J. – For the fifth consecutive season, the New Jersey City University women's basketball program has officially punched its ticket to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament. The Gothic Knights squared off with Rutgers-Camden on the road on Wednesday night, Feb. 14, in their regular-season finale and, with the 100-50 victory over the Scarlet Raptors, clinched the #2 overall seed in the conference tournament, as well as the third straight first round bye.
The game actually began in Camden's (1-24, 1-17 NJAC) favor as the home squad held a 12-9 lead over the Green and Gold (17-8, 14-4 NJAC) with just 3:19 to go in the first. However, NJCU closed out the quarter with a 5-0 run, including baskets from sophomore guard
Elyssa Russo (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) and senior guard
Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), to take a 14-12 lead into the second.
The second quarter, combined with the final five points of the first, saw the Gothic Knights almost literally explode via a 29-0 run to take a commanding 38-12 lead. Over the course of that run, junior guard
Alaisha Mumford (Jersey City, N.J./Lincoln) scored nine of her career-best 17 points. After being held scoreless to that point in the second, the Scarlet Raptors scored the next four to end the half with NJCU leading, 38-16.
The Gothic Knights quickly recovered to start the third, scoring 14 unanswered to take a 34-point lead at 52-18 with 7:46 remaining in the quarter. This time the highlight of the NJCU offense was rookie guard
Na'tori Postell (Passaic, N.J./Passaic Arts & Science Charter), who notched eight – including a pair of threes – and ended up finishing the night with a career- and game-best 19 points. Then, leading by 30, Jersey City went back up at 60-22 with eight unanswered. The teams then traded baskets as NJCU took a 39-point, 69-30 lead into the final quarter.
The Green and Gold scored nine straight to end the third and start the fourth and took a 45-point, 75-30 lead, thanks in part to four points from Mumford and a three-point play for senior guard
Alex Sams (Burlington City, N.J./Burlington City). Later on, leading by 45, Postell and junior guard
Carissa Reyes (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder) made it a 50-point game for the first time on the night. A couple of foul shots from Reyes minutes later again made it a 50-point lead. Junior guard
Olivia Wooten (East Orange, N.J./Immaculate Conception) scored the final two baskets for NJCU on the night, both stretching the lead out to 50 with a three at 1:16 and a lay-in with 28 seconds remaining to cap it off.
Highlights:
- Sixteen Gothic Knights saw the floor against the Scarlet Raptors, with 14 registering at least two points.
- Rodriguez joined Postell and Mumford in double figures with 11 points. She has scored in double figures in four straight, as well as 22 times this regular season.
- Senior forward
Sarah Edmond (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) finished with nine points and a team-best six rebounds. She also had a game-best three steals.
- Postell's 19 points came on 7-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-11 from long range. Mumford was efficient, as well, going 5-of-8 from the floor, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 from the foul line.
Up Next:
As mentioned, NJCU has locked in the #2 seed in the upcoming NJAC Tournament. With that, the Gothic Knights once again clinched a first-round bye and will return to action on Tuesday night, Feb. 20, for the NJAC semifinal on Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) at 7:00 p.m. The Green and Gold will host the winner of the #3 vs. #6 match-up between Kean University and Rowan University, which takes place in Union, N.J., on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 1:00 p.m. NJCU split with the Cougars this season and swept the Profs.
