WAYNE, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In a see-saw game that featured 12 ties and 13 lead changes, the New Jersey City University men's basketball team scored the first five points of overtime and hung on late when graduate student power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) and freshman power forward Sam Toney (Somerdale, N.J./Williamstown) hit key free throws in the final 10 seconds as NJCU overcame a New Jersey Athletic Conference road challenge from William Paterson University, 71-69, in one overtime on November 30 at the Rec Center.
NJCU upped its mark to 5-1 and 2-0 in the NJAC as Wosu grabbed a key defensive rebound with 10 seconds left and sank two shots from the line to give the Gothic Knights a 70-66 lead before WP (2-4, 0-2 NJAC) hit its second triple of the final minute against the nation's No. 1 ranked three-point field goal percentage defense.
After the Pioneers Galen Smith made it a one-point game (70-69) with four seconds left, NJCU senior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park (Md.)) uncharacteristically missed two from the line but NJCU got the rebound and Toney, who entered the day 10-for-10 at the line this year, sank one free throw. WP was unable to get off a legitimate shot attempt.
Neither team led by more than six points in a game that was tied for 7:20 of court time. NJCU led 29-24 at halftime and never trailed in the final five minutes of regulation but couldn't gain separation as the Pioneers tied the game at 56-56, 61-61 and 63-63, to force overtime.
Each team had four players score in double figures with Toney leading all players. He matched his career scoring and rebounding highs and the one-time NJAC Rookie of the Week notched his third double-double in six games with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes.
Harris, the NJAC Player of the Week, had 10 of his 13 points in the first half. Senior point guard Ata Robinson (Newark, N.J./East Side) had 10 points (4-8 FG) including a go-ahead jumper with 24 seconds left in regulation. Junior small forward Kevin Brown (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) added 10 points (2-3 3 FG) in 26 minutes before fouling out. Wosu produced nine rebounds and seven points in 18 minutes.
David Mofunanya, Turell McClendon and Smith each scored 14 for the Pioneers and Zach Frickadded 13 as those four players combined for 55 points. Mofunanya was 10-of-10 from the line and had seven rebounds. McClendon played 40 minutes and finished with a double-double of 13 rebounds with four assists and three steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the first half, WP led 17-11 before NJCU scored the next eight to take the lead. Down one (22-21), Harris hit a three and was fouled, converting a four-point play to put NJCU up by three and it led by five at the break.
NJCU led for a majority of the early second half, including 41-35 when Brown hit a three with 13:06 to go, but the Knights could not shake free from the Pioneers. A 43-38 lead for NJCU with 12:33 left became a 48-43 advantage for the hosts after a 10-0 run. NJCU rallied and regained a lead with 5:27 to go on a three-point play by sophomore small forward Joe Anderson (Neptune, N.J./Asbury Park). After WP tied it, a tip-in by sophomore swingman James Julius(Linden, N.J./Linden) and a jumper by Toney gave NJCU a 60-56 edge with 2:35 left. The Pioneers tied it again at 61-61 when McClendon hit a layup with 46 seconds to go. After Robinson's jumper made it 63-61, Smith sank two foul shots with five seconds to play to force overtime.
After not scoring in the second half, Harris drilled a three more than two minutes into the extra session to break a deadlock and Toney sank a shot for a 68-63 lead. With NJCU still up five with under a minute to play, Frick followed with a triple to cut the deficit to two (68-66). After NJCU turned it over on an offensive foul, Smith missed a three and Mofunanya's follow was unsuccessful. Wosu grabbed the board and hit both from the line to make it 70-66. Smith kept the Pioneers alive when his three fell with four seconds left before Toney's final foul shot sealed it.
OF NOTE:
- Series: 148th known meeting. NJCU leads, 79-69 (Streak: won last three).
- Jalen Harris scored in double figures for the 30th time in 34 career games as a Gothic Knight.
- Kevin Brown and Sam Toney each scored in double figures for the fourth time in six games to open their NJCU careers.
- NJCU was playing its first road NJAC game of the season.
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU returns home to the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Charlie Brown Court) on Saturday, December 3 when it hosts Rutgers-Camden (0-3, 0-2 NJAC) at 3 p.m. It will be the 65th meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 59-5, and has won 21 of the last 22 meetings and 49 of the last 51.
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