MONTCLAIR, N.J. – The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's basketball team dropped a 98-85 decision to No. 1 Montclair State University (MSU) in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at the Panzer Athletic Center.
The Gothic Knights fall to 13-10 overall and 9-7 in conference play, while the nationally top-ranked Red Hawks remain unbeaten at 23-0 overall and 16-0 in the NJAC.
NJCU delivered one of its most efficient offensive performances of the season, shooting 45.2 percent (28-of-62) from the field, 50 percent (5-of-10) from three-point range, and an impressive 92.3 percent (24-of-26) from the free-throw line. Montclair State countered with a 49.3 percent (33-of-67) effort from the floor and knocked down 19 three-pointers at a 44.2 percent clip (19-of-43). MSU struggled at the stripe, converting 52 percent (13-of-25).
The Red Hawks held advantages in several key statistical categories, including points off turnovers (20-9), second-chance points (16-12), fast-break points (25-14), and bench scoring (37-34). NJCU controlled the paint with a 34-28 edge. Both teams committed 14 turnovers.
Senior Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) led all Gothic Knights with 28 points on a stellar 9-of-12 shooting performance. He was perfect from beyond the arc (3-of-3) and at the free-throw line (7-of-7), adding two rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Junior Jayden Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Immaculate Conception) posted a career-high 15 points, shooting 5-of-9 from the field and a flawless 5-of-5 from the line, while contributing three assists and two rebounds.
Junior Donovan Crawford (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) made a strong impact on both ends, recording a team-high 15 rebounds along with nine points, four assists, and three steals. He also went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Junior Marc Brown Jr. distributed a team-best four assists and added four points and a steal.
Montclair State was paced by Jacob Morales, who poured in 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 7-of-12 from three-point range. Christian Nicholson added 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Ahmad Robertson contributed 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Kabrien Goss dished out a game-high seven assists, and Kevin Beck registered a game-high three steals.
NJCU briefly seized control midway through the first half. At the 15:51 mark, junior Arterio Williams (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) converted a free throw to give the Gothic Knights their first lead, 6-5. A three-pointer from Rogers-Robinson at 14:14 extended the advantage to four, 14-10. However, Montclair State responded late in the half. A three-pointer by Nicholson with 3:59 remaining pushed MSU ahead 37-30, and another triple from Morales at 2:42 gave the Red Hawks their first double-digit lead at 40-30. MSU closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 49-35 lead into the break. Rogers-Robinson scored 16 of his 28 points in the opening period.
The Gothic Knights opened the second half with renewed energy, going on a 7-2 run to trim the deficit to single digits at 51-42 with 18:42 remaining. Montclair State later built its largest lead of the game at 80-66 with under seven minutes to play. NJCU responded with a 12-4 run, fueled by contributions from Brown, Crawford, sophomore Matt McSorley (Colonia, N.J./Colonia), and Rogers-Robinson, cutting the deficit to 84-78 with 5:03 left.
Back-to-back three-pointers by the Red Hawks stretched the lead back to double digits at 90-80 with just over four minutes remaining. An and-one finish by Brown at the 2:46 mark pulled NJCU within nine, 92-83, but MSU closed the game on a 6-0 run to secure the 98-85 victory. Brown added a late jumper in the final two minutes to cap the scoring for NJCU.
Up Next:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Saturday, Feb. 14, when they host The College of New Jersey in NJAC play at 3:00 p.m. inside the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
For the latest news, updates, and information on New Jersey City University Athletics, visit NJCUGothicKnights.com and follow the Gothic Knights on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
