BABSON PARK, Mass. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 24 ranked New Jersey City University pulled within one with 11:23 remaining before unranked Skidmore College ignited for a 12-0 run, holding the NJCU men's basketball team scoreless for a critical span of 5:12 as the Thoroughbreds knocked off the Gothic Knights, 75-67, in the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament First Round on March 3 in the Babson Park Regional.
NJCU's memorable 2016-17 campaign, which included being nationally ranked for seven total weeks, ends with a 21-8 ledger for the second year in a row as the Knights made their first NCAA appearance since the 2011 season. Liberty League regular-season champion Skidmore wins its 20th game (20-7) and advanced to the NCAA Second Round for the second year in a row; the Thoroughbreds will face the host, Babson College, 92-76 winners over Husson University.
Skidmore was awarded more than three times as many free throw opportunities as NJCU and cashed in, converting 30-of-38 from the line (.789), including 19-of-24 in the second half (.792). NJCU was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line in the opening half but had just four attempts in the second half, finishing the game 10-of-12 (.833) from the stripe.
Two Skidmore players combined for 43 points as senior guard Aldin Medunjanin (New York, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Edvinas Rupkus (Naujoji Akmene, Lithuania) were each 5-of-10 from the field and converted 21-of-23 free throws.
Medunjanin tallied a game-high 23 points, making 12-of-14 foul shots, with six rebounds, five assists and three steals while Rupkus chalked up 20 points on 9-of-9 free throws, adding seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
First-Team All-NJAC senior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park (Md.)) narrowly missed scoring 1,000 points in just two seasons at NJCU, concluding his brief run in Jersey City with 987 points. After not scoring until 4:40 remained in the first half, Harris rebounded to pour in 19 points with three triples (3-8) and 6-of-6 foul shooting in 33 minutes.
Meanwhile, freshman power forward Sam Toney (Somerdale, N.J./Williamstown), the NJAC Rookie of the Year, had a big effort with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the line. He added four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Senior point guard Ata Robinson (Newark, N.J./East Side) connected for 12 points (5-11 FG), eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in his final collegiate game.
Jalen Harris finished his NJCU career 13 points shy of 1,000 in two years (Photo by NJCU Professor Rob Romeo).
Skidmore also received 10 points (3-6 FG) off the bench from freshman forward Pat Gallagher (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.) while 6-foot-8 junior center Marcus Jackson (Schenectady, N.Y.) provided seven points and five boards.
NJCU hurt its chances by committing a season-high 24 turnovers—many of which were unforced as Skidmore had just 10 steals. The Thoroughbreds shot just 5-of-19 (.263) from three-point distance.
New Jersey City led by as many as eight in the opening six minutes (17-9) behind 12 points from Toney and Robinson, but Skidmore responded with a 21-2 run keyed by nine points from Medunjanin and seven from Rupkus to build a 30-19 lead with 7:03 to go until halftime. NJCU committed eight turnovers during that stretch and made just one field goal over a span of nearly nine minutes.
Despite that stretch, the Gothic Knights closed within four at the break (39-35) and started the second half with an 8-0 run to lead 43-39 on a layup by graduate student power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter), the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year, with 18:13 remaining. The Knights couldn't hold it and Skidmore answered with a 10-0 outburst to regain a six-point margin (49-43) with 15:37 left on a fast break basket by Gallagher.
NJCU came back, tying it at 50-50 when Toney hit a three with 12:37 to play and was down just one (54-53) when Harris connected from three-point land with 11:23 to go.
But from there, the Thoroughbreds went on a 12-0 run and took their biggest advantage of the game at 66-53 on a three-pointer by senior guard Royce Paris (Harlem, N.Y) at the 6:39 mark. Down 68-55 with 6:04 left, NJCU got within seven on a layup by Harris just over two minutes later and his three with 2:47 to go whittled the margin to four (68-64). He was unable to connect on another three with 2:14 to play. A triple by Toney with 42 seconds remaining again cut the deficit down to five (72-67) before Skidmore put the game away with three late free throws.
OF NOTE:
- Series: First meeting vs. Skidmore.
- The eight-point defeat matched NJCU's largest of the season (February 11 at Ramapo, 78-70).
- NJCU was making its first at-large appearance in the NCAAs since 1999; it also received a bid as an independent in 2005.
- NJCU is 17-22 (.436) in 39 NCAA games. The Knights have lost four consecutive NCAA Tournament games dating to the 2004 Sweet 16 (2004, 2005, 2011, 2017).
- Skidmore, which reached the NCAA Second Round last year, was making its fifth NCAA appearance—all since 2011. The Thoroughbreds qualified in 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016 and own a 3-4 record in the tournament.
- NJCU previously had 24 turnovers in a 91-88 loss at Rowan on February 4.
- Jalen Harris scored in double figures for the 51st time in 57 career games as a Gothic Knight. He ended his NJCU run with 129 career three-pointers and 987 points—just 13 shy of becoming the 29th member of the 1,000-point club and just the first player to accomplish the feat in a two-year career.
- Harris scored 1,091 total points as a collegiate basketball player—987 at NJCU, 42 in 11 games at Albright (2014-15) and 62 in 23 games at Nyack (2013-14).
- Sam Toney scored in double figures for the 19th time in 29 games.
- Ata Robinson had his 10th double digit scoring effort of the season and 17th in two years at NJCU.
- The game marked the conclusion of the careers of Harris, Robinson, Wosu, senior point guard Andrew Tomlin (Newark, N.J./Central) and senior power forward Chris Freeman (Atlantic City, N.J./Atlantic Christian).