#NJCUMBB Routs RU-Camden to Capture 14th NJAC Regular Season Championship and #1 Seed

SOURCE: https://njcugothicknights.com/news/2019/2/9/201902-09_MBASKETBALL_vs_Rutgers-Camden.aspx

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University basketball team honored its six-man senior class in pregame ceremonies and cemented the No. 1 seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament once the ball was tipped. NJCU led by 24 at halftime in a game that was never in question and captured the 14th NJAC regular season championship in its illustrious program history with a dominant 93-73 win over Rutgers University-Camden on February 9 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).

Along with the NJAC regular season crown—the second in four years for this senior class (2015-16)—the Gothic Knights secure home court advantage throughout the conference tournament. That's crucial as NJCU improved to 11-0 at home this year.   

Furthermore, NJCU, the No. 1 ranked team in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region, wins its sixth consecutive game and improved to 10-1 since the beginning of the 2019 portion of the calendar.

Prior to the game, NJCU honored its senior class of four-year performers Yuri Brutus, James Julius and Shaquan Worthy, two-year All-NJAC guard Lavrone Green, and recent additions Salomon Pierre and James Richardson.

Brutus, Green, Richardson, junior All-American Sam Toney and sophomore sixth-man Denzel Banks each scored in double figures and Julius and Worthy nearly did as well in a balanced scoring attack. NJCU had 14 men see action and none played more than 23 minutes.

Banks scored 14 (6-9 FG) and had three steals in 18 minutes, Brutus tallied 11 points (4-6 FG) and six rebounds while Green (3-6 3FG, 18 minutes) and Richardson (5-9 FG) each tallied 11 points and Richardson collected six assists. Toney had 10 points (4-8 FG), seven rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes.

Also for NJCU, Julius had nine points, knocking down 3-of-7 three-point shots and Worthy had eight points (3-4 FG, 2-2 3FG) and three assists. Freshman point guard Gralen Vereen had a career high six assists in 15 minutes without taking a shot.

Camden (2-22, 2-15 NJAC) had three players in double figures. Junior guard Trai Greer (Sicklerville, N.J.) had a game-high 23 points (8-16 FG, 6-6 FT), four assists and three steals and sophomore guard Tyrell Russell (Pennsauken, N.J.) finished with 18 points (6-9 FG, 4-5 3FG). Freshman guard Thomas Harris (Trenton, N.J.) added 15 points (6-9 FG). Those three players accounted for 56 of the 73 points.

NJCU shot 50 percent overall in the first half (17-34) and was even more proficient in the second half when it knocked down 54.3 percent (19-35) to shooting 52.2 percent (36-of-69) overall. The Knights matched a team season high with 14 made three-point shots. NJCU was equally efficient, posting 28 assists on its 36 made shots. The Knights scored 40 points in the paint and got 52 points from its bench (52-26 advantage).

With an all-senior starting lineup, NJCU trailed in the early stages of the game, 13-9, but a triple by Toney and a steal and fast break bucket by Worthy gave NJCU the lead for good with 13:13 left in the opening half.

That sparked a 17-0 run that sealed the Raptors fate. Richardson scored seven straight points before Toney, who had eight points during the tear, hit a three with 9:12 remaining that capped a run that spanned 6:47 of game time. Leading 35-22, NJCU outscored the Raptors, 14-3, in the final four minutes of the second half, including 12 consecutive points to give NJCU a 24-point lead (49-25) at the break.

Worthy and Julius both connected on triples in the first moments of the second half to stake NJCU to a 28-point lead. NJCU led by 28 at five points in the second half, including 73-45 with 10:27 left, to cruise to the regular season title.

NOTABLES:

• Series: 70th meeting in a series NJCU has dominated, 65-5. NJCU has won 27 of the last 28 meetings and 55 of the last 57 matchups.
• NJCU scored 90+ points in a game for the fourth time this season. NJCU is 222-15 all-time in games where it scores 90+.
• Sam Toney remained in 13th place in school history with 1,314 points in three years. Toney is closing in on passing two all-time greats in front of him next week:
• • 11th: Charlie Brown * (1962-65, 1324 points)
  • 12th: Darren Watkins (1988-92, 1318 points)
• Sam Toney scored in double figures for the 62nd time in 80 career games.
• Yuri Brutus scored in double figures for the 10th time this year and the 29th time in his career.
• Lavrone Green scored in double figures for the 33rd time in 50 games as a Gothic Knight and the 12th time this season.
• James Richardson scored in double figures for the ninth in his only season playing for NJCU.
• Denzel Banks scored in double figures for the 12th time in 24 games in his first season playing for NJCU.

UP NEXT:

• NJCU will close out the regular season and bid for its first 20-win regular season campaign in 27 years on Wednesday, February 13 when the Knights visit Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J. (7:30 p.m.). NJCU last had 20 wins at the end of the regular season in 1992-92 when it was 22-3 and finished the season 27-5, losing in the NCAA Division III Final Four. NJCU won the first meeting against the Roadrunners, 86-71, on January 9. NJCU leads the all-time series, 68-26; it will be the 95th meeting between the rivals.

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