NEWARK, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University established a program record for the largest margin of victory ever in a postseason game and advanced to the championship game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Metro/Upstate for the 10th time in its history by crushing Baruch College, 94-55, in the ECAC Semifinals on March 5 at The Golden Dome Arena.
NJCU (20-8), the No. 2 seed, clinched its first 20-win season since going 20-9 in the 2005-06 campaign and the 15th time in program history and will seek its seventh ECAC championship tomorrow at 3 p.m. against No. 4 Ithaca College (15-12). The Bombers used a 9-0 run in the final four minutes to spark a comeback to knockout No. 1 seeded and host Rutgers-Newark, 86-83 in the other semifinal. NJCU, which has already won a record six ECAC titles, last captured the title in 2006.
NJCU, playing the 81st playoff game, either NCAA or ECAC, in its program history, bettered the previous largest margin of victory in a postseason game of 33. Ironically, that came in the only other post-season meeting with Baruch, in a 93-60 neutral court outcome on March 7, 1981 in the ECAC semifinals. Baruch, the No. 3 seed, had its season end at 17-14.
Four players scored in double figures for NJCU which used a 16-0 run late in the first half to blow the hinges off the game. That allowed the Gothic Knights to boast a 28-point, 49-21 margin at the half and NJCU led by as many as 47 in the second period.
Freshman small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) was a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point distance in the first half (12 points) and hit five triples in the game, shooting 6-of-7 overall from the field and 5-of-6 from three, to finish with a game-high 17 points in just 17 minutes off the bench.
On a day where NJCU received an incredible 69-18 differential in bench scoring over Baruch, the top performers were all newcomers this season.
Freshman guard Tyler Caldwell (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) scored a career-high 14 on 5-of-8 shooting (2-of-4 3FG) with three steals in 15 minutes. Freshman small forward James Frazier (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) was 4-of-8 from the floor, scoring 11 with three assists and junior guard Andrew Tomlin (Newark, NJ/Central) added 11 on 4-of-8 shooting with three threes (3-7) in 18 minutes. He added three steals and three assists.
Also for NJCU, freshman center Jeremiah Boone-Alexandre (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) had nine rebounds and eight points (4-6 FG). Leading scorer and junior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, MD/Gwynn Park (Md.)) wasn't called on to carry the load on this night. He only took six shots, making half (3-6) to tally seven points in 12 minutes.
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