WAYNE, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior guard Michael Morris (Burlington, NJ/Burlington City) sank three foul shots with one second left in regulation to force overtime after New Jersey City University had fallen behind by 10 points with 2:42 left, but #17 ranked William Paterson University scored the final seven points of the extra period and outlasted the Gothic Knights, 85-79, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's basketball game on Saturday at the WPU Rec Center.
NJCU, needing a win to clinch a berth in the NJAC Tournament and the No. 2 seed in the NJAC North Division, had its three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 17-6 overall and 7-5 in the NJAC with one regular season game remaining on Wednesday, February 15 at home against Rutgers-Newark.
Meanwhile, WPU, which won the first meeting between the schools in Jersey City on January 18 (72-58), swept the season series and concluded its NJAC schedule with an 11-2 record. The Pioneers won their fifth straight and improved to 21-3 on the season and 13-1 at home. WPU had clinched the NJAC North Division title prior to the game but can still win the league's overall regular season title if NJAC South leading Richard Stockton College loses one of its final two games.
WPU entered the game ranked #17 by D3hoops.com and second in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region. NJCU, fifth in the Atlantic Region, still leads the all-time series, 75-63, after 138 meetings.
NJCU shot 50 percent for the game (26-52) and limited the Pioneers to 43.5 percent shooting (27-62), including 30.8 percent in the first half (8-26) as the Knights built a 12-point advantage and led by 11 at the intermission, 36-25. But NJCU was hindered by a season-high 25 turnovers.
In defeat, five players scored in double figures for the Knights, led by junior swingman Kaihrique Irick (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) with 19 points (7-13 FG), six rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks to overcome six turnovers. It was his 13th time leading the club in scoring.