EWING, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | A year ago, New Jersey City University, then the top seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament, saw its dreams of a conference title and an NCAA Division III berth derailed in the NJAC Semifinals on its home floor by The College of New Jersey. One year later, the Gothic Knights returned the favor. After TCNJ trimmed the NJCU lead to two with 2:27 left, freshman power forward Sam Toney (Somerdale, N.J./Williamstown), the NJAC Rookie of the Year, buried a dagger three seven seconds later and the nationally No. 21 ranked Gothic Knights iced it from the line, knocking off the Lions, 77-69, on February 21 to advance to the 2017 NJAC Championship game.
No. 3 seeded NJCU improved to 21-6 and handed second-seeded TCNJ (18-8) its first loss at home this season at Packer Hall. The Gothic Knights advance to their first NJAC championship game since winning it all in 2011—also as the third seed. Their opponent will be No. 7 ranked and top seeded Ramapo (24-2) which survived a shootout with No. 4 seeded Rowan, 110-101, in one of the highest scoring games in league tournament history.
It was the third meeting in the NJAC Tournament in as many years between the NJCU and TCNJ—including the second straight season in the semifinals—and each time the lower-seeded visitor won; No. 6 NJCU also defeated No. 3 TCNJ in the 2015 NJAC Quarterfinal round in Ewing.
NJCU will face Ramapo on Friday, February 24 at 7 p.m. at the Bill Bradley Center, seeking the program's record 13th NJAC championship and the coveted automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ramapo is 11-0 at home. The Roadrunners, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region, will be seeking their fourth NJAC title and the first in four years (2005, 2007, 2013).
Senior shooting guard Jalen Harris (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park (Md.)), a First-Team All-NJAC selection and this week's NJAC Player of the Week, scored a game-high 22 points (6-12 FG, 2-4 3FG) including a perfect 8-for-8 from the line to help ice the game. He added four assists in 37 minutes. It was his 10th 20-point effort of the season. He helped spark a key 10-0 run that gave NJCU a lead it wouldn't surrender. The Knights held TCNJ without a field goal for more than seven minutes late in the second half.
Toney, a 7-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection, notched a timely double-double with 18 points (7-15 FG), 11 rebounds and two blocks in 27 minutes, including the biggest shot of his young career.
Two-time First-Team All-NJAC junior point guard Eric Murdock, Jr. (Bridgewater, N.J.) hit 7-of-9 shots, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, and tallied 19 points and four assists in 37 minutes but the Gothic Knight defense largely held the Lions other two All-NJAC performers in check.
Senior forward Bobby Brackett (Lawrenceville, N.J.), a three-time All-NJAC honoree (two-time First Team), including First-Team this year, collected 10 points and seven rebounds, but was 2-for-6 from the field. Second-Team All-NJAC honoree and senior forward Corey Stanford (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tallied a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds (eight defensive), but was 3-for-11 from the field (1-5 3FG) and had four turnovers.
NJCU forced 19 Lion turnovers and committed just nine, including only four in the second half when it outscored the hosts, 53-41, after trailing by four at halftime (28-24). NJCU had a 22-7 differential in points off turnovers.
NJCU senior point guard Ata Robinson (Newark, N.J./East Side) scored 10 points (4-9 FG) and two-time NJAC Defensive Player of the Year and graduate student power forward Chinwe Wosu (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) added eight points (3-5 FG) before fouling out.
Sophomore forward Jordan Glover (Lawrenceville, N.J.) finished with nine points and eight rebounds and junior forward Elias Bermudez (Westwood, N.J.) collected eight points (2-3 FG, 4-4 FT) in 15 minutes.
Sam Toney driving to the rim at TCNJ in the NJAC Semifinals. The NJAC Rookie of the Year hit a dagger three to provide the separation NJCU needed.
(Photo Credit: Professor Rob Romeo).
HOW IT HAPPENED
TCNJ jumped out to a 5-0 lead as NJCU missed its first three shots and committed two fouls. NJCU took its first lead on a tip-in by sophomore point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, N.J./Trenton) before Murdock answered with a three from the near corner. A straightaway three by Kevin Johnson pushed the margin to five (13-8). Worthy attacked the rim and converted a three-point play to tie it at 13-13. A floater in the lane by Harris put NJCU in front, 15-13. Harris' first three, which rimmed up and in, made it 18-15. A three by Murdock gave the Lions back a one-point margin (8:47) and his NBA-range three with 5:22 left in the half made the margin four (22-18). It was his third triple of the half. Sophomore swingman James Julius (Linden, N.J./Linden)'s tip-in after a blown NJCU layup cut it to one (25-24). Stanford would hit a three from the near corner with 38 seconds left in the half (28-24). The Lions committed 10 turnovers in the opening half (five for NJCU).
Murdock scored 11 in the first half on 4-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-4 three-point success. The Lions were 5-for-10 from three-point distance in the opening 20 minutes. Harris had seven for NJCU in the opening half.
An 8-0 run in the first 90 seconds of the second half allowed NJCU to erase the deficit quickly. Harris started the half with a fast break layup off a rebound and Wosu picked off a pass at midcourt and scored 1-on-1 to tie it at 28-28. TCNJ turned the next possession over against the press and Robinson attacked the rim for two before Toney streaked to the rim off a defensive board for a 32-28 score. Toney scored the next three points, including a catch-and-shoot jumper and Harris had a patient layup off a turnover for a 38-32 lead. Back-to-back TCNJ threes by senior guard Eric Klacik (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and Glover tied it at 38-38 before a pullup jumper from 18 feet by Robinson (40-38). Two foul shots by Bermudez tied it at 40-40.
Murdock hit another NBA-range three, his fourth three of the game to put TCNJ back on top, 43-40 and Bermudez scored on a turnaround layup with 12:58 left (45-40) as the Lions countered NJCU's opening run with a 13-2 streak over exactly four minutes.
TCNJ still led by five, 47-42, with 11:49 left. A turn-around jumper by Toney (47-44) kept NJCU close. With 11:06 to go, Murdock was forced to leave the game temporarily with cramps but NJCU couldn't take advantage. Toney scored on a third-chance layup to again draw within three (49-46) but Stanford drove to the rim for his first points of the game with 9:46 left. He missed a chance for a three-point play.
But Harris would not be denied in his bid to get his team to the conference finals, scoring the next seven to ignite a 10-0 run that put NJCU in front to stay. A straight away three by Harris off a screen cut it to 51-49 and junior small forward Kevin Brown (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) blocked a Stanford shot. Harris was fouled and knocked down two foul shots with 8:47 left to tie it at 51-51. His baseline jumper from the left side gave NJCU back a 53-51 lead and TCNJ turned it over under their own basket.
NJCU got a big break with 7:04 left. After the ball went to midcourt on a deflection, Robinson had to heave up a half-court shot. It hit the rim, Brown was fouled and hit a foul shot (54-51). A beautiful inlet pass found sophomore center Yuri Brutus (Roselle Park, N.J./Roselle Park) wide open under the basket. He missed but tipped-in his own second chance for a 56-51 lead to cap the streak with 6:24 to go.
NJCU led 56-53 with five minutes left. TCNJ missed three chances in a row, including two layups, and Toney hit one foul shot (57-53). Robinson hit two later free throws as NJCU missed the back end of two free throws on three straight trips to the line.
Stanford made two foul shots (3:58, 59-55) to cut it to four. When Wosu was fouled boxing out a missed three, he converted both for a 61-55 lead (3:44). Bermudez answered with two from the line before Wosu powered to the rim for a 63-57 edge with 3:11 left. Stanford hit two from the line for the eighth straight points coming from the stripe (63-59) with 2:59 left.
That led to the key sequence of the game. Murdock badly missed a three but Bermudez was there for the putback with 2:27 left to snap a span of 7:19 without a field goal. But just seven seconds later, NJCU immediately answered. Harris penetrated, kicked out a pass to Toney, and the rookie drilled a three from the right arc for his 16th point with 2:20 remaining to push the margin back to five, 66-61.
When the Stanford missed for TCNJ, Robinson drove to the right side of the rim and NJCU led 68-61 with 1:43 left. TCNJ turned over the next possession. NJCU went 9-for-9 from the line in the final 90 seconds to seal the win, including four shots by Harris.
OF NOTE:
- Series: 141st known meeting. NJCU leads the series during the NJAC era (since 1955-56), 76-45.
- Rankings: NJCU is No. 21 in NCAA Division III in the D3hoops.com Week 12 Top 25 poll. It is the sixth week this year NJCU is nationally ranked, receiving 86 points in the national poll. NJCU is also ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional rankings released on February 15—up one spot from week one's poll. The Lions are ranked No. 5 in the Atlantic Region.
- NJCU and TCNJ split the regular season meetings. The Knights prevailed 54-52 in Jersey City on December 10; the Lions countered with a 75-69 win in Ewing on January 28.
- NJCU, making its 30th appearance in the NJAC Tournament since 1977-78 improved to 22-22 all-time in the tournament in 44 games. NJCU is 5-12 all-time in NJAC Tournament road games.
- NJCU is 6-3 against the Lions in the NJAC Tournament. NJCU is 3-1 all-time against TCNJ in Ewing in the NJAC Tournament, winning the last three meetings, including the 2015 NJAC Quarterfinals on February 21, 2015 (74-60) and the 1995 NJAC semifinals (77-69, February 22, 1995).
- Jalen Harris scored in double figures for the 49th time in 55 career games as a Gothic Knight. He has 124 career three-pointers and 957 points. He now needs 43 points to become the 29th member of the 1,000-point club and just the first player to accomplish the feat in a two-year career.
- Jalen Harris scored 20 or more points for the 10th time this season and the 20th time in two seasons at NJCU.
- Harris now has scored 1,061 total points as a collegiate basketball player—957 at NJCU, 42 in 11 games at Albright (2014-15) and 62 in 23 games at Nyack (2013-14).
- Sam Toney's scored in double figures for the 17th time in 27 games.
- Ata Robinson had his ninth double digit scoring effort of the season and 16th in two years at NJCU.
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU will play in the NJAC Tournament championship game for the 12th time in school history since the league began its postseason tournament during the 1977-78 season. The Knights are 7-4 all-time in league championship games and 1-1 in title road games, winning at Stockton on February 24, 1979 (89-68) but losing at William Paterson on February 23, 2001 (88-72). It is the first road conference championship game for NJCU in 16 years.
It will be the 91st meeting all-time between NJCU and Ramapo. NJCU leads the all-time series, 66-24. The squads split the 2016-17 season series, with each team winning on its home floor. NJCU won in Jersey City on January 14, 76-71 (one overtime) to hand the Roadrunners their first loss after a 14-0 start; then No. 11 RCNJ won the rematch in Mahwah on February 11, 78-70, thanks to a late 11-0 run.
It will be the first meeting between the schools in Mahwah, N.J. in the conference tournament. Ramapo is 2-0 all-time against NJCU in the conference tournament, with both games occurring in Jersey City. The first was an 89-78 result in the 2006 NJAC Quarterfinals (February 21, 2006).
In what may be considered as one of the greatest NJAC games ever played, the only meeting between the schools in the conference finals came on February 23, 2007 when Ramapo edged NJCU, 83-81, in overtime. That game saw 18 lead changes; RCNJ tied it with 7.5 seconds remaining to force overtime, then broke an 81-81 tie with a short jumper with 3.8 seconds left to win.
Tip-off on Friday night at the Bill Bradley Center is 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children, students and senior citizens.