JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | With its post-season backs against the wall, New Jersey City University senior guard JAMES LIVINGSTON (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) helped the Gothic Knights scale it, straight into the New Jersey Athletic Conference Semifinals. NJCU trailed Rowan University 70-63 with 2:10 remaining before the Knights scored seven points in 51 seconds and outscored the Profs 12-2 down the stretch, before ousting Rowan, 75-72, in a dramatic NJAC Quarterfinal game on Saturday afternoon at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on "Coach Charlie Brown Court."

Livingston scored seven of NJCU's final 12 points, making four foul shots and a game-winning three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining to vault NJCU to its 10^th win in 11 games and 14^th in 17 contests.

NJCU, the No. 2 seed in the NJAC North Division, improved to 17-9 on the season while Rowan's season ends at 12-14. The Knights, making their first appearance in the NJAC Tournament since reaching the finals in 2006-07, will face NJAC South No. 1 Kean University on Tuesday, February 22 at 7 p.m. in Union, NJ. The winner of that semifinal will face the winner of NJAC North No. 3 Montclair State University and NJAC North No. 1 Ramapo College at the site of the highest remaining seed on Friday, February 25 at 7 p.m.

Livingston, who became the conference leader in free throw percentage on the season in the win (.855, 65-76), extended his free throws converted streak to 43-of-45 by sinking all six he took in the game, including two with 2:10 remaining that trimmed the deficit to 70-65.

Rowan, the NJAC South No. 3 seed, could not score on its next possession and with 1:34 left, NJCU, after grabbing two offensive rebounds, buried a key three as junior forward TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) drilled a triple from the left wing off a pass from junior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) as the Knights cut it to 70-68.

Just 10 seconds later, junior small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) stole the ball from Rowan senior guard Sean Hughes (Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro), sending senior point guard DA'SHON BARRINO (East Orange, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) slashing down court for a fast break layup, tying the game at 70-70 with 1:19 remaining, as a jubilant NJCU crown rocked the arena.

With 48.2 seconds left, NJCU rookie guard MICHAEL JOHNSON (Newark, NJ/Irvington) forced a jump ball with Rowan junior guard Akeem Johnson (Gouldtown, NJ/Bridgeton) and the Knights took possession. After a timeout, NJCU moved the ball around the perimeter before Williams fed Livingston on the right wing, where drilled the decisive three.

Johnson hit a jumper from the right of the lane with 9.5 seconds left to cut it to one, 73-72. But Williams inbounded the ball to Livingston, who was fouled and calmly sank both attempts from the line with 8.4 seconds left. A game-tying three opportunity by Hughes was wide with four seconds remaining and NJCU ran out the clock for the win.

"We showed a lot of heart and character," said fourth-year head coach MARC BROWN about his team' come-from-behind win. "I have to give credit where credit is due. Taquan [Abdullah] started the comeback and James [Livingston] finished it off."

"The game isn't over until the horn sounds and with our press I felt with the team we had on the floor, we could get a steal. The key for us was not to force a shot on the conversion and to come down the floor and get a good shot."

NJCU leads the all-time pre-World War II series, 56-53, and snapped Rowan's three-game winning streak against the Knights. It was the ninth meeting between the schools all-time in the NJAC Tournament (Rowan leads 5-4). NJCU is now 17-18 all-time in the NJAC Tournament.

In yet another balanced scoring attack for NJCU, four players scored in double figures and each netted a dozen points. Livingston scored nine of his 12 in the second half, including the seven during the decisive run. He shot 2-of-5 from the field, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 6-of-6 from the line with three steals and two assists. Abdullah added 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the line in 18 minutes.

Barrino made 5-of-6 shots and his only three-point shot, adding four assists. He is now second in the league to Livingston in free throw shooting. Williams made 2-of-5 from three-point distance (4-10 FG) and both foul shots, finishing with 12 points, four assists and three steals. NJCU senior power forward TOM McDERMOTT (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored eight points, making 3-of-3 from the field, including only the fourth three-pointer of his career, and added five rebounds.

Hughes led Rowan with a game-best 24 points, adding four rebounds and two assists. He shot 7-of-15 overall, 4-of-8 from three-point range and 6-for-6 from the line. Junior guard Roger Loatman (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) had 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting before fouling out. Junior forward Tom Paterno (Brick, NJ/Brick Township) registered a double-double of 14 rebounds and 11 points (4-7 FG) with two blocks and two steals. Freshman guard Jason Rosenberg (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) contributed seven points and six assists.

"James made some big plays," Brown added, "and that's what you expect from your seniors and guys with experience. At the very end [of the game] we don't want anyone on the line except James or [Da'Shon] Barrino, and he [James Livingston] knocked down both free throws easily."

In a game with nine ties and 13 lead changes, both teams shot 47 percent. NJCU made 27-of-57 from the field (.474) and 9-of-19 from three-point range (also 47.4 percent)—a significant improvement from its 2-for-22 (.091) three-point shooting in a 55-47 regular season loss to Rowan in Glassboro on January 22. NJCU, the league's leading free throw shooting squad, had a rare off day from the line, shooting .632 (12-19).

Rowan shot .472 overall (25-53) and 17-22 from the line (.773). The clubs were tied at halftime, 33-33. Rowan shot 12-of-23 in the second half (.522); NJCU made 14-of-28 (.500).

In the first half, there were six ties and three lead changes. NJCU led by as much as six points in the period at three different junctures, including 32-26 with 2:13 remaining in the period after a pair of Williams free throws. Rowan scored seven of the final eight points of the period and tied it at 33-33 when Hughes sank two foul shots with 41 seconds left.

The early moments of the second half proved to be see-saw basketball with the clubs trading several leads. NJCU led 44-40 with 16:45 left on a jumper by Albright before Rowan scored eight straight and took a 48-44 lead on a Loatman layup as four players generated points for the visitors.

Abdullah and Hughes traded threes before Hughes buried a trey for a five-point lead, 54-49 with 11:20 to play. NJCU, not used to playing come-from-behind basketball this season, scored seven in a row—four by Abdullah, including a layup, and a three-pointer by Williams, and senior swingman ROB ROBINSON (Newark, NJ/Malcolm X. Shabazz) assisted both plays for a 56-54 lead with 9:28 left.

Hughes hit a three at 8:18 to put Rowan back on top and then sank a jumper with 7:40 left for a 59-56 margin. Rowan's lead swelled to six, 62-56 with 6:41 on the clock when freshman guard Rich McNamara (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) converted a feed from Rosenberg. Three-points by Barrino kept the deficit at five, sandwiched around a pair of Rosenberg foul shots but Hughes increased the Rowan lead to 66-59 with 4:47 to go when he sank a jumper.

Livingston made his first two foul shots at 3:28—his first points of the second half—to make it 66-61, but Loatman answered eight seconds later with a layup. Abdullah hit a long jumper from the corner with 3:03 remaining to shave the Rowan lead to five, 68-63. The Profs answered again when Rosenberg converted two foul shots for a 70-63 lead with 2:58 left.

On NJCU's next possession, Paterno blocked a shot by Williams and got the rebound with 2:46 remaining and the Knights' season appeared to be in jeopardy. But at 2:12, Livingston stole the ball from Rowan sophomore guard Kendall White (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional), drew a foul sprinting to the basket, and ignited the 12-2 run that won the game. He was the leader of NJCU's bench which outscored the Profs reserves, 31-8.

General admission for the NJAC Semifinal game is $5 for adults and $2 for students with identification.

—www.njcugothicknights.com—