JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University turned a 20-point deficit into a four-point game with 2:23 remaining after a four-point play from senior small forward Jaimik Moore but the Knights couldn't complete the comeback in the New Jersey Athletic Conference action and fell to The College of New Jersey, 62-55, in the first game of the 2020 portion of its schedule on January 8 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court).
NJCU fell to 2-5 at home to start a season for the first time since the 1992-93 campaign. It was a poor shooting night for both schools with NJCU (5-8, 2-4 NJAC) shooting just 29.0 percent (20-69) and TCNJ (7-6, 4-2 NJAC) even worse at 28.8 percent (15-52). But TCNJ made 35 trips to the line, making 25 (.714) and NJCU was granted just one-third of the opportunities from the stripe (6-11, .545).
NJCU held the league's top scorer, TCNJ senior guard Randall Walko (Somerville, N.J.), to 0-for-6 shooting to start the game but couldn't hold him off the board completely. After shooting 2-of-8 in the first half, he scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half. He only shot 5-of-18 from the field and 3-of-10 from three-point territory, but was 14-of-19 from the foul line in 33 minutes.
Moore led NJCU with 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-6 three-point success, adding four rebounds. Sophomore guard Kayton Darley had 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-3 3FG) off the bench. After a slow start, two-time NJAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American senior power forward Sam Toney had nine points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Three players scored in double figures for TCNJ. Complementing Walko, who scored nearly half of the Lions' points, junior forward Travis Jocelyn (Verona, N.J.) was 8-of-9 from the line to overcome 3-of-9 field goal shooting and finished with 14 points. Senior forward Ryan Jensen (Brielle, N.J.) tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.
TCNJ built a 26-17 halftime edge despite shooting 26.7 percent in the opening 20 minutes (8-30), as NJCU was held to 24.1 percent (7-29). An early 8-0 run to open the second half, capped by a three from senior guard Tommy Egan (Shamong, N.J.) increased the lead to 15 (35-20) and another 9-0 outburst turned an 11-point game into the Lions' largest lead of the night, 46-26, with 12:31 to go. Jensen scored six during the streak.
Still down by 17 (49-32) with 6:24 to go, the Knights scored seven straight to draw within 10 (49-39, 4:33) but Walko's foul shooting helped maintain a 10-point margin (54-44) with exactly 3:00 to play. NJCU had limited TCNJ defensively (1-of-9 field goals) during the stretch to give it a chance.
Down eight, Moore buried a three from the right corner with 2:23 to go, was fouled, and sank a foul-shot for a rare four-point play to trim the deficit to 54-50 and it was still a four-point deficit with 2:08 left (56-52). TCNJ turned the ball over on the next possession but NJCU could not convert a three opportunity and the Lions sealed the game at the line. NJCU couldn't draw closer than five the rest of the game.
NOTABLES:
- Series: 146th known meeting during the NJAC era (since 1955-56). NJCU leads all-time, 79-47.
- Jaimik Moore scored in double figures for the sixth time in seven games after missing six games between November 19 and December 17.
- Toney is seventh in school history with 1,556 points. Next up on NJCU's all-time list: Eric Moore with 1,587 points (1976-80). It was his 97th career game.
- Kayton Darley scored in double figures for the third time as an NJCU player.
UP NEXT:
- NJCU heads to Galloway, N.J. on Saturday, January 11 at 3 p.m. against Stockton University. The Ospreys are currently in first place at 9-4 overall and 6-0 in the NJAC.
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