EWING, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Tied at 67-67 with 2:54 to play, The College of New Jersey's Eric Murdock, Jr. scored the next six points, including a dagger three with 38 seconds left and the Lions nipped No. 20 ranked New Jersey City University, 75-69, in a key New Jersey Athletic Conference game on January 28 at Packer Hall. There were 10 ties and 10 lead changes in the back-and-forth affair in which neither side led by more than six.
 
NJCU sees its four-game winning streak snapped as the Gothic Knights, now ranked No. 20 by D3hoops.com in the week eight Division III poll, slip to 16-4 overall and 10-3 in the NJAC, splitting the season series with TCNJ (15-5, 11-2 NJAC). The Lions, playing their best basketball of the season, won for the seventh straight game. TCNJ made its free throw opportunities count, sinking 86.7 percent (26-30).
 
Senior forward Bobby Brackett (Lawrenceville, N.J.) was a huge difference maker for the hosts. Entering the game as the only player in the league averaging a double-double (15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds), ranking first and fourth, respectively in rebounds and points, Brackett scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half and finished with 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting (6-7 FT) with eight rebounds and two blocks.
 
Freshman power forward Sam Toney (Somerdale, N.J./Williamstown), the five-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, had 18 points (8-14 FG) and five rebounds in a losing cause. Senior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park (Md.)) tallied 16 points while sophomore swingman James Julius (Linden, N.J./Linden) finished with nine points (4-6 FG).
 
After shooting just 10-of-35 in the first half (.286), the Knights were good on 53.3 percent (16-30) in the second half but just 1-of-9 from three-point distance in the period.
 
NJCU, the No. 1 ranked team in Division III in three-point percentage defense, held the Lions to just 5-of-18 (.278) from deep in the loss.
 
But four Lions scored in double figures and Murdock, Jr. (Bridgewater, N.J.), a junior point guard who has been in thorn in the Gothic Knights' side the last two years, scored 13 points, including 8-of-10 free throws, and dished seven assists.
 
After limiting senior forward Corey Stanford (Pittsburgh, Pa.) to just nine points in the first meeting this season, NJCU held Stanford, the league's seventh-leading scorer, to six points on 2-of-8 shooting, and forced him into seven turnovers. But two other Lions picked up the slack. Senior guard Eric Klacik (Basking Ridge, N.J.) had 12 points on 3-of-6 shooting and Jordan Glover added 12 points (4-7 FG) and six boards.
 
TCNJ won despite committing 21 turnovers (12 for NJCU) and the Knights had a 23-11 margin in points off giveaways.
 
In the first meeting of the year in Jersey City on December 10, NJCU trailed 30-24 at the break before prevailing, 54-52. This time around the teams were tied at 32-32 at halftime after six ties and three lead changes. Brackett scored 18 points on 6-of-8 FG (6-7 FT) in 18 minutes in the first half, while a balanced box score saw eight NJCU players tally first half points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Brackett scored eight of the first 15 for the Lions which opened a 15-11 lead. A three-pointer by sophomore point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, N.J./Trenton) gave the Knights a 17-15 lead. Leading 22-18 with 3:58 to go, TCNJ would tie it before Harris hit a three with 2:07 to go (28-25). A triple by Kevin Bloodgood tied it again (28-28, 1:47). A jumper by sophomore shooting guard Joseph Kelley (Newark, N.J./University) nine seconds later, answered by two Brackett foul shots made it a 30-30 contest with 1:01 left. NJCU briefly regained the lead (32-30) on foul shots by Harris with 15 seconds left before Brackett dunked a feed from Kevin Johnson to tie it again in the final two seconds.
 
In the second half, Glover hit a three in the opening minute to briefly put TCNJ back on top (35-34) before layups by senior point guard Ata Robinson (Newark, N.J./East Side) Robinson and Toney gave the Knights back the lead. A three-point play by Eric Klacik with 16:38 to go gave the hosts back a 41-40 edge.
 
A 9-0 run for NJCU ensued. A jumper by junior small forward Kevin Brown (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) and Toney's layup 11 seconds later sparked it. A jumper by Harris followed by Toney's 10th point on a layup, followed by a foul shot for a three-point play, extended it to 49-41 (14:51). When Brackett netted his 20th point and Klacik scored inside, the margin was cut to four before Toney's layup and a dunk by Kelley pushed it back to an eight-point margin (53-45, 12:56).
 
The lead stood at five with 10 minutes left when a triple by Stanford made it a two-point game (57-55, 9:11). His layup after an NJCU turnover tied it at 57-57 with 8:11 to go and he followed from the line for a one-point lead. Toney and Glover traded baskets and a jumper by Julius with 6:52 to go made the deficit one (60-59) before Glover hit two more foul shots (62-59). Harris' layup with 5:57 to play again cut it to one (62-61) but a three-point play by Glover with 5:22 to go made it 65-61, Lions.
 
Harris kept NJCU in it, drilling a three (65-64) and when Toney grabbed the rebound of a Stanford miss, Harris hit a jumper for his 16th point with 4:13 on the clock and NJCU regained a 66-65 lead. Brackett would net his 22nd point to give the Lions back the lead (67-66) with 3:05 to go. Toney tied it with one free throw before Murdock sank two from the line with 2:33 left for another two-point lead (69-67).
 
Graduate student power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) could not convert a 1-and-1 free throw with 2:17 to go but the Lions could not hit on two chances from the field and Worthy grabbed the rebound with 1:55 to go. Wosu fouled out on a charge with 1:34 left and that proved to be the last good opportunity for the Knights.
 
With 1:17 to go Murdock hit the second of two free throws for a 70-67 lead and Brackett blocked a Harris layup with a minute to play. A three by Murdock with 38 seconds to go sealed it (73-67).
 
OF NOTE:

• 140th known meeting. NJCU leads the series during the NJAC era (since 1955-56), 75-45.
• 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 42nd time in 48 career games as a Gothic Knight. He has 107 career three-pointers and 813 points.
• Sam Toney scored in double figures for the 13th time this season.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU is 8-0 at home this season and will look to shake off the loss when it hosts Kean University (1-19, 1-12 NJAC) on Wednesday, February 1 (8 p.m.) at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court'). NJCU won the first meeting of the season in Union, N.J. on December 7, 78-52, when it hit 16 three-pointers. It will be the 136th known meeting. NJCU leads the series, 98-37 (Streak: won last five).