COLD THREE-POINT SHOOTING SETS BACK NJCU IN 55-47 LOSS TO ROWAN

GLASSBORO, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University shot just 2-of-22 from three-point range and was held below 60 points for the first time in 15 games this season as Rowan University rallied from a 14-point second half deficit to defeat the Gothic Knights, 55-47, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at Esby Gymnasium. The setback marked the sixth time this season NJCU has lost a game it led by double figures.

NJCU falls below .500 with the loss (7-8, 2-4 NJAC) with six of 13 conference games now complete. Rowan improves to 7-10 and 2-5 in the league. In a pre-World War II series that dates to the 1938-39 season, NJCU leads, 55-53 (known results only) but the Profs have won the last three meetings.

On a day where NJCU shot 9.1 percent from three-point range, the Knights also didn't have success overall from the field (17-56, .304) or the foul line (11-19, .579). Rowan shot 20-of-49 from the field (.408) and only attempted five threes, making two.

Junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) was the lone NJCU player to reach double digits, scoring 13 on 4-of-12 shooting (2-of-7 3FG) with six rebounds and two steals. Senior forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) provided seven points and seven rebounds. No other Gothic Knight had more than five points or five rebounds.

Rowan had three players in double figures, led by sophomore guard Kendall White (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) who had 13 points (5-11 FG), four blocks and four rebounds. Junior forward Steve Secula (Mullica Hill, NJ/Clearview Regional) posted a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.

Also for the Profs, junior guard Roger Loatman (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) had 11 points, making all four shots he took. Freshman

Rich McNamara (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) added nine points while senior guard Sean Hughes (Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro) grabbed eight boards with six points.

Despite shooting just 36.7 percent in the first half, NJCU was able to build an eight-point, 27-19 halftime margin by committing a mere three turnovers in the period. The Knights never trailed by more than one in the period and the eight-point margin at the half was its largest of the first 20 minutes.

NJCU, which scored the final four points of the first half, chalked up the first six points of the second half, completing a 10-0 run that gave the visitors a 14-point, 33-19 lead after Williams made two foul shots and a three-pointer, and McDermott sank a foul shot.

Rowan answered with a 12-2 run to pull within four (35-31) at 12:53, as Loatman scored five points of the dozen. Loatman made it a one-point, 36-35 game with a layup at 10:07.

NJCU went nearly the entire middle segment of the second half without a field goal, missing eight straight shots during a span of 8:37 until a fast-break layup at 6:23 made it 40-37 after Rowan had tied it at 37-37.

The Knights could not hold the three-point lead as Rowan scored the next eight points for a 45-40 margin with 4:01 to go as McNamara scored four, including a three-pointer at 5:08 that put the hosts ahead 43-40—its first lead since the 11:17 mark of the first period.

Junior center JOSH HOSANG (Hackensack, NJ/Palm Beach Central (Fla.)) registered a layup from Williams at 3:37 to cut it to three (45-42) before McNamara finished a layup, was fouled, and converted a foul shot for a three-point play that gave the Profs a 48-42 advantage with 1:43 remaining.

Rowan continued to lead by five with 55 seconds left before Williams nailed a triple with 28 seconds left to shave the Prof lead to just two, 49-47. But White was fouled on a layup with 22 seconds left, made the free throw and Hughes sank three of four free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the victory.  McNamara and Loatman each scored nine points in the second stanza.

The eight-point final margin was Rowan's largest lead of the day as the Profs outscored NJCU in the second half, 36-20. Rowan owned a 32-16 margin in points in the paint and out-rebounded the Knights, 45-35.

NJCU will next play a home make-up New Jersey Athletic Conference game against William Paterson University on Monday, January 24 at 8 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

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