JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University men's basketball was sluggish in the first half, but backed up its new No. 24 national ranking by holding the top-scoring team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference 17 points beneath its scoring average and outrebounded Rowan University by a +21 margin as the Gothic Knights sizzled on the fast break in an 89-72 makeup game victory on January 9 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Charlie Brown Court).

 
NJCU (12-2, 6-1 NJAC), which remained in the NCAA Division III national poll despite a two-point road loss at Montclair State last week, dropped from 23rd to 24th in the D3hoops.com Top 25. But after committing 16 turnovers in the first half, NJCU composed itself at halftime. NJCU had just four turnovers in the second half and used a 17-2 run midway through the second period to run past Rowan (9-5, 4-3 NJAC), which came into the game leading the NJAC at 88.8 points per outing.
 
NJCU won for the 10th time in 11 games. It outrebounded Rowan, 54-33, including 17-9 on the offensive glass, and produced a massive 25-8 margin in fast break scoring. NJCU held Rowan to a season scoring low.
 
Senior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park (Md.)) and four-time NJAC Rookie of the Week Sam Toney (Somerdale, N.J./Williamstown) each reached the 20-point plateau and Toney produced career highs in scoring and rebounding while generating his fourth double-double. The two players led NJCU to a season-high 89 points.
 
Toney scored 12 of NJCU's first 16 points and finished with career highs of 20 points (6-14 FG), including 3-of-6 three-point shooting and 5-of-5 foul shooting, while adding 11 rebounds (10 defensive) and two assists in only 23 minutes. Harris amassed his sixth 20-point effort of the season, scoring a game-best 22 points (8-15 FG, 2-6 3FG), with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
Sophomore shooting guard Joseph Kelley (Newark, N.J./University) made his first career start for NJCU and rewarded head coach Marc Brown for that decision, scoring a career-best 12 points (4-5 FG) with four assists and four steals in 17 minutes.
 
Senior point guard Andrew Tomlin (Newark, N.J./Central) added nine points, including six straight during the 17-2 run, and chipped in three steals. Graduate student power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) finished with eight rebounds, six points and a pair of steals while sophomore swingman James Julius (Linden, N.J./Linden) added six rebounds and six points (3-4 FG).

Nick DePersia (Cherry Hill, NJ) led Rowan with 13 points, shooting 9-of-11 from the line (2-10 FG) with seven rebounds and three assists and brother Rob DePersia (Cherry Hill, NJ) tallied 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. Gary Carthan (Bordentown, NJ) totaled 10 points and Jordan Sintras (Sydney, Australia) scored nine points, hitting three threes from down under.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Toney scored nine of the first 11 for NJCU which built a 21-13 lead when Harris connected on a three. Rowan battled back, using a 12-0 outburst to give Rowan a 25-21 margin on a layup by Rob DePersia after Sintras knocked down a pair of threes. NJCU went 4:42 without scoring before a pair of baskets tied it at 25-25. Sintras hit his third three with 7:10 to play to put Rowan back in front. The clubs would trade ties at 32-32 and 34-34, before Brian Thatcher's triple in front of the NJCU bench gave the visitors a 40-36 lead at the half.
 
Much of Rowan's success was aided by NJCU which committed 16 first half turnovers with Rowan only grabbing four steals. Toney scored 12 points (six rebounds) in 10 minutes in the first half with contributions from Kelley (9) and Harris (7) as those three players combined for 28 of first 36 points.
 
NJCU came out more poised to start the second half, scoring four quick points in the first 50 seconds including a Wosu layup off a Rowan turnover to tie it 40-40. Toney drilled a three from the right arc for his 15th point off a long pass from Harris for a 43-42 lead. Harris scored off an athletic rebound on the fast break before Rowan forced a 10th tie and a triple by Josh Borrelli gave the guests a 49-46 edge. After an 11th tie, Jeff Haddock hit a three and four foul shots pushed the margin to 60-54 with 11:45 left.
 
NJCU ignited from there. A tip in by Julius on a missed fast break and a Harris transition basket cut it to two before Toney sank two from the line for the 12th tie at 60-60. After two free throws gave Rowan back a momentary advantage, Tomlin drilled a three from the left arc after a kick out from Julius for a 63-62 margin. After two foul shots by Harris, Tomlin scored on fast break (67-62), and then seconds later Harris stripped Rowan at midcourt and Tomlin again scored on the streaking play for a 69-62 cushion. With 7:00 left Tomlin scored his sixth straight point and ninth overall during the 17-2 run that gave NJCU a 71-62 lead. Rowan got no closer than five before Harris drilled a three just left of the top of the arc for his 20th point to push the margin into double figures (77-66) where it remained for nearly the final five minutes. The final margin was NJCU's largest lead of the game.
 
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:
Interview with Andrew Tomlin and Joseph Kelley after the win over Rowan: https://www.facebook.com/NJCUGothicKnights/videos/10154491160709915/
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 119th known meeting. NJCU leads all-time series, 60-59, and has won the last four meetings.
• Rankings: NJCU is ranked for the second week in a row. It is now No. 24 nationally by D3hoops.com.
• Jalen Harris scored in double figures for the 38th time in 42 career games as a Gothic Knight. He has 96 career three-pointers.
• Jalen Harris scored 20 or more points for the sixth time this season and the 16th time in two seasons at NJCU.
• Sam Toney's previous career high was 17 points on three occasions, most recently on December 3 vs. Rutgers-Camden.  Toney scored in double figures for the ninth time this season.
• Sam Toney's previous career rebounding high was 10 on three occasions, most recently on November 30 at William Paterson.
• Joseph Kelley's previous season high was nine points (Baldwin Wallace, November 20). His previous career high was 11 at Kean on January 24, 2015. It was his third career effort of double figure scoring.
• Rowan's previous scoring low was 78 on four occasions, most recently on January 4 vs. Kean.
• Game was a makeup of a January 7 snowout.
• NJCU's previous scoring high was 88 vs. Staten Island on November 26.
• NJCU is 6-0 at home this season.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
In a matchup of the NJAC preseason favorite and the league's three-time defending champion, NJCU heads to Galloway, N.J. on Wednesday, January 11 (8 p.m.) for an NJAC matchup against Stockton (7-5, 2-4 NJAC, Won 1) at the Stockton Sports Center. NJCU swept the 2015-16 season leads the all-time series, winning the last three meetings. It will be the 80th meeting in the series; NJCU leads all-time, 45-34.

Source: http://njcugothicknights.com/news/2017/1/9/201701-09_MBASKETBALL_vs_Rowan.aspx