JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The William Paterson men's basketball team (9-10, 5-7 NJAC) saw its upset bid fall short at No. 20 New Jersey City (16-3, 10-2 NJAC), 70-60, Jan. 25.

Junior guard George Sapp (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) led the Pioneers with 15 points, four assists and four steals. Sophomore guard Anthony Uribe (Hackensack, N.J./Bergen Catholic) scored 11 tallies from off the bench, senior forward Richy Espinal (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) posted nine points, and senior guard Joseph Taylor (Camden, N.J./Woodrow Wilson) added seven tallies and a team-best seven rebounds.

Nine straight Gothic Knights tallies turned a one-point margin (8-7, 12:04) into a 17-7 edge at the 6:28 mark of the first half, and NJCU carried a 29-17 lead into the locker room.

After New Jersey City stretched it to a 22-point advantage (42-20, 16:50), the Pioneers battled back to make it a two-possession game at 51-45 with 7:42 to play, and trailed by eight three minutes later (60-52, 4:29). The Gothic Knights responded by scoring six of the next eight points for a 66-54 lead with 2:46 remaining.

Playing without its leading rebounder (7.6 rpg), senior guard Turell McClendon (Newark, N.J./Piscataway Tech), WP was on the short end of a 36-26 rebounding margin and a 13-0 difference in second-chance points.

Freshman forward Sam Toney led New Jersey City with 16 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Jalen Harris added 15 tallies and six boards.

William Paterson will visit Stockton Saturday, Jan. 28, at 1:00 p.m.

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