NJCU BURSTS OUT TO 29-2 LEAD, BLOWS PAST RUTGERS-CAMDEN, 63-42

KNIGHTS KNOCK OFF RAPTORS FOR 41^ST TIME IN LAST 42 MEETINGS

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University burst out to a 29-2 cushion and never were challenged as the Gothic Knights notched their fifth win by at least 20 points this season, crushing Rutgers University-Camden, 63-42, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on "Coach Charlie Brown Court."

NJCU wins its second straight to move back above .500 at 9-8, and evens its NJAC record at 4-4. It was NJCU's 41^st win in the last 42 meetings over Rutgers-Camden (4-14, 2-7 NJAC) and the Knights' 13^th consecutive win over the Scarlet Raptors in a series NJCU has dominated to a tune of 51-4.

At halftime of the game, NJCU honored its 1985-86 men's basketball team on the 25^th anniversary of their first Final Four season. The game was played as part of NJCU's annual "Green and Gold Days" week on campus and the Knights are now 3-5 all-time during the event.

NJCU had five players score eight or more points, led by sophomore guard ASHMERE WILSON (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) who was a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor (2-2 FT) and scored 12 points in 17 minutes. Junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) chalked up 12 points (3-7 FG), making 2-of-4 three-point shots, with three steals and three assists. All 10 active players played at least 15 minutes in the rout.

Also for NJCU, junior center JOSH HOSANG (Hackensack, NJ/Palm Beach Central (Fla.)) collected nine points (5-7 FT), six rebounds and two blocks and sophomore forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) added eight points, eight boards and two blocks. Junior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) scored nine points and rejected three blocks in 17 minutes.

NJCU, which held a 15-2 margin in fast break points and 27-13 off turnovers, led 36-11 at halftime and by as many as 28 points overall, despite shooting under 40 percent for the game (20-54, .370).

Camden shot 29.8 percent (14-47) and was limited to fewer than 50 points for the fifth time this season. The 42 points are the second lowest point total this year by the Raptors and the second fewest by an NJCU opponent this year.

Camden freshman guard Woody Redding (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic) posted a game-high 17 points (5-10 FG, 2-3 3FG, 5-7 FT) and added three assists and two steals. He had 15 of the 17 in the second half when Camden scored 31 points. Senior guard Eric Goode (Newark, NJ/University) scored 10 points.

There was no scoring for the first 2:23 of regulation until Williams was fouled from three-point range and made all three from the line. From there, the Knights took control over the next 2:02 with its transition attack and led 12-0 when senior shooting guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) scored on a fast break feed from Williams off an Albright steal. Moments before that Williams and Barrino each had a steal and fast break layup in a span of 29 seconds and Albright blocked a shot and converted a fast break three-point play off a dish from Barrino.

Goode scored the visitors first points of the game at 13:32 before Abdullah and senior guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) drained back-to-back three-pointers and Wilson collected a pair of field goals for a 22-2 lead at 9:41. Six consecutive points by Wilson, including a pair off layups, extended the lead to 29-2 with 7:12 remaining. Wilson scored 10 of the final 11 points for NJCU during the tear.

Camden would sink a pair of foul shots but didn't collect another field goal until the 4:44 mark of the first half and by then, NJCU had a comfortable lead. In all, NJCU held the Raptors scoreless for a stretch of 7:05 and without a field goal over a span of nearly 10 minutes (9:46). Camden missed nine shots in a row and committed nine turnovers during that time and NJCU had 14 steals in the game, including 10 in the first half when the Raptors were forced into 19 giveaways.

NJCU led 36-8 with 49 seconds remaining in the first half, by 25 at the break, and by no less than 19 points at any juncture of the second half.

NJCU returns to the court on Wednesday, February 2 with a road NJAC North Division game at the Golden Dome versus Rutgers-Newark at 8 p.m. Camden travels to Richard Stockton College that evening at 6 p.m. in Pomona, NJ.

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