BROOKLYN, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University is playing its best basketball of the season and all the credit continues to go to its defense. The Gothic Knights limited an opponent to fewer than 50 points for the fourth time in five games and the sixth time overall this season as NJCU won its fifth game in a row and for the ninth time in its last 11 outings with a 64-48 non-conference decision against Brooklyn College on Saturday afternoon at the West Quad Center Gym.

NJCU improves to 12-8 overall, breaking open a 27-27 halftime margin with a 13-0 run to seize a 40-27 lead that it later expanded. Brooklyn falls to 10-11. NJCU leads the all-time series, which dates to 1963, 13-4. It was the first meeting in Brooklyn, NY since January 5, 1980. NJCU outscored the Bulldogs in the second half, 37-21.

Three players scored in double figures for NJCU, led by sophomore forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) with a game-high 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including both three-pointers he attempted. He added six rebounds.

Junior center JOSH HOSANG (Hackensack, NJ/Palm Beach Central (Fla.)) netted a near double-double with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, with nine rebounds and two blocks in 24 minutes. Junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) added 10 points (2-6 3FG) with four assists and two steals.

NJCU entered the game ranked No. 2 in the nation in steals per game (13.1) and among the NCAA leaders in turnover margin. The Knights swiped 13 steals and registered a decisive 31-14 margin in points off turnovers, led by senior shooting guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) who picked six steals, to go with four assists.

Also for NJCU, senior shooting guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) collected seven points on 3-of-6 shooting.  Sophomore guard ASHMERE WILSON (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) scored six points on 3-of-4 shooting in nine minutes and senior power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny, NJ) powered his way to seven rebounds.

Brooklyn was led by junior guard Amil John (Brooklyn, NY) with 14 points (6-12 FG) and three assists. Junior guard Tyshawn Russell (Jamaica, NY) collected 11 points and five assists but shot 4-of-15 overall. Senior guard Ahmad Hemingway (Brooklyn, NY) had 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals, but was forced into 11 turnovers. Sophomore forward Steven Grant (Brooklyn, NY) finished with eight points (4-5 FG) and seven boards.

There were five ties and five lead changes in the first half. NJCU held a six-point, 17-11 lead after a basket by Livingston before the Bulldogs scored 10 straight to build a 21-17 edge. A three by Albright tied it at 21-21 with 7:51 left in the half, and there were two more ties, 23-23 and 25-25, before a layup by Williams with four seconds left in the half sent the teams to the locker room even at 27-27.

It didn't stay even long once the second half began as NJCU exploded for 13 unanswered points in the opening 2:32 of the period. Albright's layup at 19:04 gave the Knights the lead for good before Williams (18:44) and Albright (18:18) buried a pair of three-pointers—each set up with steals by Barrino and Williams—to seize a 35-27 lead. Williams, who scored eight during the run, sank two foul shots at 18:05 for a 37-27 lead and then drilled another triple at 17:28 for a 40-27 cushion.

NJCU was not challenged from there, leading by double figures the remainder of the contest. The Knights lead swelled to 16, 50-34, with 12:01 remaining when Wilson picked off a pass, converting it into a fast break layup. NJCU's largest lead was 19 with 2:06 left in the game when Barrino picked off another steal, pushed the ball up the floor to Williams who handed it to Albright for a slam and a 62-43 margin.

NJCU is back in action on Monday, February 7 at 8 p.m. when it hosts Berkeley College in the final non-conference game of the regular season at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

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