JERSEY CITY, N.J. | The New Jersey City University (NJCU) men's basketball team fell in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Quarterfinal, 73-61, to #5 Rowan University on Saturday, February 21, at the John J. Moore Athletics & Fitness Center.
NJCU (14-12) shot 38.2 percent from the field and just 22.2 percent from three-point range in the contest. Bakhi Rogers-Robinson (Orange, N.J./West Caldwell Tech) led NJCU with 19 points on 5-of-17 shooting and added eight assists, while Donovan Crawford (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) recorded a game-high 15 rebounds while adding seven points.
Rowan (10-16) was paced by Brycen Williams, who scored a game-high 27 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three-point range, and converted 9-of-13 free throws. Taz Cantey added 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Khalil Baker chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.
The Gothic Knights struck first as Brince Shelton (Brooklyn, N.Y./George Westinghouse) converted a jumper off a Jayden Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Immaculate Conception) assist to give NJCU an early 2-0 edge. Rowan quickly answered when Cantey converted a three-point play to put the Profs ahead 3-2. Rowan gradually built momentum behind Baker's interior presence and Williams' work from the charity stripe. NJCU's deficit ballooned to nine in the first seven minutes before they trimmed it to four with 12:22 remaining.
Rogers-Robinson kept NJCU within striking distance by converting two free throws, but the Gothic Knights' offense went cold at 11 as Rowan ripped off a devastating 13-2 run to push the lead to 16 with 6:40 left in the opening half. The Gothic Knights regained their composure and clawed back into the game with buckets by Kameron McGainey (Union, N.J./Union) and Brince Shelton (Brooklyn, N.Y./George Westinghouse) down the stretch. Despite what appeared to be a game spiraling out of control, the Gothic Knights headed into the locker room trailing by just five.
NJCU stormed out of the break and knotted the game at 35 at the 18-minute mark. Rowan quickly regrouped and seized a lead they maintained for the remainder of the half. The Gothic Knights continued to threaten, but Rowan had an answer for each basket to keep NJCU at arm's length. As the clock wound down, NJCU's offense began to lose steam as Rowan stretched the lead to double digits with nine minutes remaining. Crawford and Jayden Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Immaculate Conception) converted from the floor late, briefly igniting NJCU's offense, but it wasn't enough to overcome Rowan's advantage.
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