JERSEY CITY, N.J. | The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's basketball team dropped to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the NJAC with a 97-70 home loss to undefeated #10 Montclair State University on Wednesday, January 7, at the John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center.
The Gothic Knights (9-4, 5-1 NJAC) shot 38.2% from the field (26-68) but struggled from three-point range, connecting on just 13.3% (2-15), while making 64.0% (16-25) from the free-throw line. Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) led NJCU with 18 points on 6-of-19 shooting, while adding two rebounds, five steals, and four assists. Donovan Crawford (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) contributed 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Arterio Williams (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) added nine points and seven rebounds.
The Red Hawks (13-0, 6-0 NJAC) shot 50% from the field and an impressive 47.5% from beyond the arc. Montclair State's Ahmad Robertson led all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range. Jacob Morales added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Ryan Cassels contributed 15 points off the bench, going 5-for-5 from three-point range.
NJCU held advantages in rebounding (43-39) and points in the paint (44-30), but Montclair State dominated from three-point range (19-2), points off turnovers (27-15), and assists (30-15).
The Red Hawks jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, using relentless three-point shooting and defensive pressure to build a 54-39 halftime advantage. Montclair State's perimeter game was on full display in the opening period, as the visitors connected on 12 three-pointers in the first half alone. Towards the end of the first half, the Gothic Knights capped a 5-0 run with a layup by Matt McSorley (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) to cut the lead down to 9. Montclair quickly inflated their lead back to 15 before the halftime buzzer.
In the second half, the Gothic Knights continued to battle inside, with Williams and Crawford attacking the paint and NJCU's bench contributing 24 points. Kameron McGainey (Union, N.J./Union) dished out three assists, and Isaiah Green (Orange, N.J./Hillside) added two points in 15 minutes. However, Montclair State's balanced scoring and continued three-point success allowed the Red Hawks to extend their lead to as many as 32 points late in the game.
Up Next:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Saturday, January 10, when they travel to Wayne, NJ, to take on William Paterson.
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