JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 20 ranked New Jersey City University continued its home-court domination, limiting William Paterson University to just 17 first-half points and the Gothic Knights never trailed, defeating William Paterson University, 70-60, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game on January 25 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court').

The Gothic Knights, nationally ranked for the fourth week in a row and now No. 20 by D3hoops.com in the week eight Division III poll, improved to 8-0 at home, 16-3 overall and 10-2 in the NJAC with two-thirds of the conference slate complete. NJCU swept the season series from William Paterson (9-10, 5-7 NJAC) for the second year in a row.
 
William Paterson had just one offensive rebound in the game and NJCU owned a 13-0 edge in second chance points. The Knights led by as many as 22 points in the win.
 
NJCU, ranked No. 1 in Division III in three-point percentage defense, limited the Pioneers to 1-of-11 three-point accuracy in the first half and 5-of-19 in the game (.263). It was NJCU's fourth consecutive win.
 
When WP's Zach Frick hit an NBA-range three with 7:42 to go to trim NJCU's margin to six (51-45), freshman power forward Sam Toney (Somerdale, N.J./Williamstown), the five-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, answered with the biggest shot of the night, drilling a three from the right arc just 17 seconds later.  NJCU hit seven of the next nine foul shots to maintain a comfortable lead the rest of the contest.
 
Toney was one of three Gothic Knights in double figures, scoring a game-high 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting (5-7 FT) with seven rebounds in 23 minutes.
 
Senior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park (Md.)) tallied 15 points, including three triples, adding six rebounds and three steals. Senior point guard Andrew Tomlin (Newark, N.J./Central) made his first home start of the season (third overall) count, chipping in a season-high 13 points (6-14 FG) in 29 minutes.  Graduate student power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) collected six points, six rebounds and four steals.
 
Junior guard George Sapp (Sicklerville, N.J.) led WP with 15 points (5-6 FG, 4-4 FT), four assists and four steals. Sophomore guard Anthony Uribe (Hackensack, N.J.) had 11 points (4-8 FG). Sophomore guard Peter Martinez (Stockton, Calif.) was 2-of-3 from three-point range and had eight points.
  
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite missing the first six shots of the game and going 1-of-9, NJCU jumped out to an early lead, thanks to its defense, which held the Pioneers scoreless until the 14:09 mark. NJCU shot 2-of-12, yet led, 8-7, and was 4-of-15 from the field after Toney powered to the rim over two players for a 13-7 edge. A 9-0 spurt sparked the lead to 17-7 when senior power forward Chris Freeman (Atlantic City, N.J./Atlantic Christian) had an offensive board and putback.
 
When Harris drilled a three from the left side at the 5:42 mark, NJCU led 20-9 and his alley-oop pass to Toney led to a pretty layup for a 24-13 margin. Tomlin buried a three from the left arc with under 30 seconds left in the half to make it a 29-15 margin before NJCU took a 12-point cushion to the break.
 
Right out of the second half gates, Harris drilled a straight away three in the first nine seconds and NJCU began to pull away. With 17:04 on the clock, sophomore point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, N.J./Trenton) came out of nowhere to pick off an inbounds pass and went coast-to-coast for the fast break layup and a 40-20 margin. A Tomlin steal on the next possession and transition basket gave NJCU its largest lead, 42-20, with 16:50 to go.
 
The lead remained in double figures until Martinez and Frick hit threes to shave the deficit to six, before Toney responded with his triple. Foul shots by Wosu and Toney pushed the lead back to 13. When Martinez hit another three with 4:29 left, Toney helped ice it when he nailed three from the line after being fouled on a corner trey try. An offensive rebound by Wosu, and his drive down the middle of a wide open lane off a dish from Worthy with 3:20 left made the lead a dozen and helped finish off the Pioneers.
 
OF NOTE:

• 149th known meeting. NJCU leads the series, 80-69 (Streak: won last four).
• Rankings: NJCU is ranked No. 20 by D3hoops in the January 23/week 8 poll. It's the highest ranking in the poll in program history.
• Jalen Harris scored in double figures for the 41st time in 47 career games as a Gothic Knight. He has 105 career three-pointers and 797 points.
• Sam Toney scored in double figures for the 12th time this season.
• Andrew Tomlin scored in double figures for the seventh time in his 34-game NJCU career (third time in 2016-17).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
In a game with major post-season implications, NJCU heads to Ewing, N.J. for a crucial NJAC road game at The College of New Jersey (14-5, 10-2 NJAC) on Saturday, January 28 at 1 p.m. TCNJ has won six in a row. NJCU rallied to win the first meeting of the season, 54-52, in Jersey City on December 10. It will be the 140th known meeting. NJCU leads the series during the NJAC era (since 1955-56), 75-44.

SOURCE: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2017/1/25/201701-25_MBASKETBALL_vs_William_Paterson.aspx