EWING, N.J. - The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's basketball team faced a tough loss in an NJAC matchup against The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) on Saturday, Feb. 15, falling by a score of 87-72 at Packer Hall.

With this defeat, NJCU dropped to a 12-12 overall record and a 7-10 mark in NJAC play. The team shot 46.8% from the field, converting 29 of their 62 attempts. From beyond the arc, they shot 35.7%, hitting five of 14 attempts, while at the free-throw line, they made nine of 14 for a 64.3% shooting rate. On the other hand, TCNJ, now 19-5 overall and 12-5 in NJAC play, shot 47.6% from the field (30-63), 36% from three-point range (9-25), and an efficient 75% from the free-throw line (18-24).

The Lions dominated in nearly every statistical category, with one of the most glaring differences coming in rebounding, where TCNJ outrebounded NJCU 41-26. This allowed the Lions to capitalize on second-chance opportunities, as they scored 20 second-chance points compared to just eight for the Gothic Knights. TCNJ also excelled in points off turnovers (21-9), bench points (35-22), and fastbreak points (18-8).

Jaheim Lewis (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) led NJCU with 19 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field, and also grabbed a team-high six rebounds, adding two steals to his performance. Hakeem Wilson (Newark, N.J./North Star Academy) contributed 14 points and dished out three assists, while forwards Raymond Ezike (Newark, N.J./Westside) and Arterio Williams (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) combined for 18 points.

For TCNJ, the standout performance came from Nick Koch, who scored a game-high 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Koch also added five rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Matthew Solomon contributed a strong double-double with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, eight of which came on the offensive glass.

The game began with NJCU taking an early 14-7 lead at the 12:49 mark. However, TCNJ quickly responded with a 9-0 run to take a 16-14 lead. The two teams would continue to trade baskets throughout the remainder of the half, with TCNJ holding a 35-31 lead heading into the locker room. Wilson led NJCU at halftime with 11 points.

In the second half, the Lions began to pull away. A layup by TCNJ at the 11:41 mark pushed their lead to double digits for the first time in the game, giving them a 59-49 advantage. Although NJCU responded with a jumper from Lewis to cut the deficit to seven at 10:28, a costly offensive foul by the Gothic Knights shifted momentum in favor of TCNJ. The Lions then went on a dominant 24-11 run, pushing their lead to 20 points with just 1:27 remaining.

Despite a late push from NJCU, which included a three-pointer from Quamir Martin (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) and a layup by Carlos Calder (Union City, N.J./Union City) that trimmed the deficit to 15 points, it was too little, too late. The Gothic Knights could not overcome the scoring barrage from TCNJ, and the Lions sealed the victory by finishing with an 87-72 final score.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights celebrate Senior Night as they take on NJAC opponent, Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

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