GOTHIC KNIGHTS WIN STREAK SNAPPED AT NINE AS NJCU SUFFERS RARE SHOOTING WOES

MONTCLAIR, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University trailed at halftime for the first time in more than two months and suffered its third lowest shooting performance of the season as Montclair State University, in a must-win situation, snapped the Gothic Knights nine-game winning streak with a 62-53 New Jersey Athletic Conference North Division game in the regular season finale for both schools on Wednesday night at the Panzer Athletic Center.

Two days after NJCU pounded Montclair by 20 points (82-62), the Red Hawks needed to win to claim the third and final NJAC Tournament berth and with the victory eliminated Rutgers-Newark from tournament contention.

Even with the loss, NJCU (16-9, 8-5 NJAC) closes the regular season winning nine of 10 and 13-of-16 games and as the No. 2 seed in the NJAC North, will face NJAC South No. 3 seeded Rowan University in an NJAC Quarterfinal game on Saturday, February 19 at 4 p.m. Rowan was the last team to defeat NJCU prior to the nine-game winning streak. The winner of that game meets NJAC South division champion Kean University, which survived Richard Stockton College tonight, 55-53, to take first place in the division.

MSU (18-7, 8-5 NJAC) will face Stockton, the No. 2 in the South, with the winners meeting NJAC North champion Ramapo College. The semifinals are both on Tuesday, February 22 at 7 p.m., with the championship and NCAA Tournament automatic bid decided on Friday, February 25 at 7 p.m.

While MSU and NJCU both finished the year 8-5 in the NJAC, NJCU had already clinched the No. 2 seed prior to the game with a better divisional record; the Knights were 5-3, MSU was 4-4.

NJCU shot .316 overall (18-57)—its lowest percentage since making 17-of-56 (.304) in a 55-47 loss to Rowan on January 22, and the Knights nine point loss was its largest margin of defeat this season.

In defeat, senior guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) posted a game-high with 17 points in 21 minutes off the bench, highlighted by his free throw prowess. The 17 points match a career high as he scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive game and sixth time in seven outing. Livingston shot 11-of-12 from the foul line for the second time in three games. He entered the game having made 26 of his last 27 free throws and seemingly without effort sank the first 11 attempts in a row to run his streak to 37-of-38, before missing his final chance. He is now in second place in the NJAC in free throw percentage this season at .843 (59-70)—2/100^th behind teammate and senior point guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) for the league lead; Barrino is .845 from the line this year (49-58).

Also for NJCU in defeat, senior swingman ROB ROBINSON (Newark, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 2-of-3 three-pointers, adding six rebounds. No other NJCU player scored more than five. Despite NJCU's bench outscoring the Montclair reserves, 39-10, the Knights received little contribution from its five starters, which combined for 14 points on 6-of-28 (.214).

Montclair only played eight men in the must-win game, and everyone in its starting lineup saw at least 28 minutes. Junior forward Andrew August (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) led the Red Hawks with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Sophomore guard A.J. Larkin (Passaic, NJ/St. Mary's (Rutherford) added 12 points (2-7 FG) and six rebounds and  senior point guard Rodney Freeney (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) chipped in 12 points (5-13 FG).

Senior forward Tyrone Prewitt (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central), finished with 11 rebounds (10 defensive), six points, three assists and three steals. Senior guard Tom Bonard (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) provided nine points (2-10 FG, 1-6 3FG) and senior forward Sean Young (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) added eight points (3-6 FG), eight rebounds and two blocks.

In a tightly-contested game throughout the first half, a jumper by TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) gave the Gothic Knights an 18-17 lead with 3:45 to play. For NJCU, which had won all nine games during the recent streak by double figures, it would be last lead of the game. Bonard buried a three-pointer to regain the lead and then hit two free throws to make the score 22-19 with 2:44 to play. Young added a jumper before Robinson answered with a triple with 1:20 left in the half. The teams then traded baskets before Freeney hit from short range with four seconds left as the Red Hawks took a 28-24 lead into the break.

It was the first time since December 4 against Kean (31-29) that New Jersey City trailed at halftime and only the third time the entire 25-game regular season.

Larkin buried two three-pointers to open the second half for a 34-24 lead and when August converted a layup with 16:09 left for a 12-point, 36-24 lead, NJCU faced its largest deficit in any game all year.

Back-to-back threes by sophomore guard ASHMERE WILSON (Newark, NJ/Weequahic) and Robinson cut it to six, 36-30, at 15:14 before a three-point play by August and a later layup at 13:53 push the lead to 11.

A jumper by Livingston and a layup from junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) sliced the lead back to 42-38, but three free throws—two by Young and one by August boosted the Montclair lead back to 45-38 midway through the period. Livingston hit a jumper at the 9:40 mark to cut it to five, but that would be the last field goal NJCU would make until 42 seconds remained. Over the 8:58 drought, NJCU shot 0-for-8 from the field.

Livingston sank two from the line with 6:30 left to bring the Gothic Knights within five points at 49-44. That would be as close as NJCU would get the rest of the way. Prewitt made one from the line and Larkin two of his own before August finished off a fast break with a layup as Montclair pushed the lead back to double-digits at 54-44 with 5:11 left.  

Montclair would only manage one basket after that, and none over the final 4:10, but maintained its lead by going 6-of-8 at the line. Freeney connected on two of those with 1:49 to play for a 60-50 advantage and Bonard hit two 10 seconds later as Montclair led 62-50.

While the Knights took over the NJAC team lead in free throw percentage at .695 by shooting 14-of-17 in the game (.824), MSU made seven more foul shots, shooting 21-of-29 (.724).

Admission to the NJAC Quarterfinal game on February 19 is $5 for adults and $2 for students with ID.

—www.njcugothicknights.com—