HUNTINGDON, PA (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University rallied from a 15-point deficit with nine minutes to play and drew within two points with 3:10 remaining, but could only score once in the final three minutes as Ithaca College upset the previous undefeated Gothic Knights, 78-73, in the opening round of the 2011 Comfort Inn Doc Green Tournament at Juniata College on Friday night.
NJCU, facing a 2011 NCAA Division III qualifier for the third time this season, falls to 6-1. Ithaca (3-5), one of the most successful Empire 8 conference programs, won 20 games a year ago and qualified for the NCAA Tournament but had gotten off to a rough start to the 2011-12 season before Friday's win. It was the first-ever meeting between NJCU and Ithaca.