JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's basketball team fell in its home opener, dropping a hard-fought non-conference contest to Farmingdale State College, 73–63, on Tuesday night, Nov. 11, at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
NJCU (1-1) shot 40.7% from the floor (24-of-59), including 35.7% from three-point range (5-of-14), and converted 10-of-15 free throws (66.7%). Farmingdale State (1-0) countered with an efficient 54.7% shooting night (29-of-53) and went 9-of-21 from beyond the arc (42.9%), while finishing 6-of-11 from the line (54.5%).
The Gothic Knights outworked the Rams in several key categories, holding advantages in points off turnovers (25–10) and second-chance points (13–6). Both teams were even in transition with 12 fast-break points apiece, but Farmingdale State used its inside presence and balanced scoring attack to control the paint (28–24) and edge NJCU in bench production (16–13).
Senior Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) delivered a dominant performance for the Green and Gold, pouring in a game-high 28 points while adding seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Junior Jayden Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Immaculate Conception) provided an additional spark from deep, knocking down 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range to finish with 14 points. Junior Donovan Crawford (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) contributed a well-rounded effort with seven rebounds, four points, and three assists, while freshman Isaiah Green (Orange, N.J./Hillside) added three assists and a pair of steals in an energetic showing.
For the Rams, Michael Notias led the way with 22 points, six assists, three rebounds, and two steals in an all-around standout performance. Liam Buckley recorded a double-figure scoring effort with 10 points and matched teammate Kentrell Evans with a team-best eight rebounds each. Sean Conroy and Jordan Tucker also scored in double figures, giving Farmingdale State four players in double digits.
Farmingdale State wasted no time asserting itself early, opening the game on an 8–0 run capped by back-to-back triples from Notias. A layup from Rogers-Robinson at the 15:31 mark finally put NJCU on the board, cutting the deficit to two possessions. However, the Rams continued to roll, extending their lead to double digits after a thunderous dunk from Buckley at 6:24, which ignited an 11–4 spurt and pushed the margin to 33–16 — their largest lead of the half. The Gothic Knights showed resilience in the closing minutes, with Brown draining consecutive threes and Rogers-Robinson hitting a jumper to trim the deficit to single digits, entering the locker room down 33–24.
NJCU came out of halftime with renewed energy, as Rogers-Robinson completed an and-one play to make it 33–27 and briefly shift momentum toward the home team. Yet Notias quickly responded, scoring five straight points to restore the Rams' double-digit advantage. Moments later, Derek Reed hit back-to-back threes to stretch the lead to 17 with 16:14 remaining.
The Gothic Knights refused to go quietly. Brown's third three-pointer of the night sparked a 10–2 NJCU run highlighted by Rogers-Robinson's relentless fast-break scoring. The freshman guard, Green, turned up the defensive pressure, forcing turnovers that led directly to transition baskets, cutting the deficit to just seven at 8:19 after another coast-to-coast layup.
Despite the late surge, Farmingdale State held firm down the stretch. The Rams responded with a 7–0 burst of their own to reestablish control and managed the clock effectively over the final minutes, securing the 73–63 road victory.
UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights will travel to Brooklyn, N.Y., to face Brooklyn College on Saturday, Nov. 15, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
