SOURCE: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2018/2/3/201802-03_MBASKETBALL_vs_Rowan.aspx

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) drilled a go-ahead three-pointer from the right arc with 22.3 seconds left for New Jersey City University but  Rowan University junior guard Nick DePersia (Cherry Hill, N.J.) drove the left baseline for a game-winning layup with 7.4 seconds left and NJCU's attempt to win in the final second was blocked as the Profs stunned the Gothic Knights, 67-66, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court') on February 3.
 
NJCU (17-5, 11-4 NJAC) missed a golden opportunity to move into sole possession of second place in the conference with three games remaining after first place Ramapo College (17-5, 13-2 NJAC) defeated TCNJ (16-6, 11-4), 64-60. After going undefeated at home last season and much of the 2015-16 year, NJCU dropped a home contest for the second time this season (7-2).
 
Rowan (11-11, 7-8 NJAC), which upset TCNJ in Ewing on Wednesday, kept its NJAC Tournament hopes alive by beating its second straight league title contender on the road. The Profs move to .500 and are knotted with Stockton University and William Paterson University for the final two playoff berths.
 
In a game with 12 lead changes and six ties, NJCU suffered through its second lowest shooting effort of the season. The Knights were just 32.8 percent for the game (22-67), improving slightly in the second half after hitting just 11-of-39 in the opening 20 minutes (.282). Rowan shot 56.5 percent in the second half (13-23) and 43.6 percent overall (24-55).NJCU lost despite shooting 13-of-15 from the foul line (.867).
 
The loss spoils the third consecutive double-double and 11th of the season for Toney. The sophomore power forward and league leading scorer and rebounder, scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half (5-13 FG, 2-4 3FG, 6-6 FT) and equaled his career high with 17 rebounds, adding four assists, three steals and two blocks.
 
Junior point guard Shaquan Worthy (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) had eight assists, seven points, five rebounds and five steals but had his final layup attempt block by Rowan junior 6-foot-7 forward Ramon Wright (East Orange, N.J.) who rejected five shots in the game and added 10 points and seven rebounds. NJCU junior shooting guard Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) finished with 14 points.
 
For Rowan, senior forward TJ Booth (Williamstown, N.J.) led the Profs with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals while Nick DePersia collected 11 points (4-8 FG) including the game-winner.
 
NJCU led 20-10 with 9:29 left in the first half after a three by senior guard Ruben Acosta (Waterbury, CT/Bogota), but Rowan responded with an 11-0 run to gain a 21-20 lead with 5:45 to go as the NJCU shooting percentage dipped under 20 percent in the half. Freshman guard Ryan Legler and Booth hit back-to-back threes in a span of 29 seconds to cap the run. Rowan pushed the lead to five (27-22, 3:25) before a three by junior small forward James Julius (Linden, NJ/Linden) and a last moment layup by Worthy put NJCU back on top by two, 33-31. Toney had 10 rebounds but just two points in the first half.
 
Rowan burst out of the second half on a 13-2 run and led 44-35 with 16:11 left when Booth hit a pair of foul shots. He had six during the streak and Wright had five. Rowan kept a narrow lead until junior guard Robert Gordon (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) hit a three and Green scored in transition after a block by Toney to put NJCU back on top, 58-57 with 8:57 left. It was short-lived with junior guard DaRon Curry (Deptford, N.J.) hitting a jumper 28 seconds later. A triple by Booth and his later foul shot pushed the lead to five (63-58) with 6:38 to play. Nick DePersia scored off a turnover with 4:03 left and it remained a five-point, 65-60 game.
 
In the first meeting this season between the schools in Glassboro on January 6, Rowan led by 12 with 5:39 left before Toney nailed three consecutive threes in a span of 36 seconds and knocked down the go-ahead jumper with 20 seconds left. He again tried to will NJCU to victory, hitting a three from the left arc with 2:55 to go. After NJCU had three chances to score on the next possession but couldn't convert, the Knights got a defensive stop and the ball back with 35.8 seconds left, leading to Toney's go-ahead three, 66-65, with 22.3 to go.
 
But on the ensuing possession, Nick DePersia was able to navigate the left baseline and get to the rim for the go-ahead basket. NJCU had to quickly inbound and when Worthy tried to go coast-to-coast for the winner, his shot on the left blocks was blocked to end the game.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 122nd known meeting. All-time series even, 61-61.
• NJCU receiving 23 points in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll (Tied, 27th nationally).
• Sam Toney (Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) scored in double figures for the 38th time in 51 career games. He has scored 808 career points.
• Toney reached double figures in rebounds for the 17th time in his career and 12th time this year. The 17 rebounds match his career high of 17 vs. William Paterson in overtime on November 29, 2017.
• Toney produced his 16th career double-double and 11th of the season.
• Lavrone Green (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) reached double figures in scoring for the 17th time in 22 games as a Gothic Knight. For Green, it was the 34th double digit scoring effort of his collegiate career.
• In his first game against his former team since transferring at mid-year, sophomore guard Jeff Haddock (Burlington Township, NJ/Willingboro) didn't score in 17 minutes of action.

 
UP NEXT:
On January 3, NJCU had its 21-game regular season home court winning streak snapped in in a 76-66 loss to Montclair State University. The clubs will meet again on Wednesday, February 7 (8 p.m.) at Panzer Gymnasium in Montclair, N.J. The Red Hawks are 16-6 (10-5 NJAC) and one game behind NJCU in the league standings after an 89-81 loss at Stockton on Saturday. It will be the 170th known meeting since the early 1930s. Montclair leads the all-time series, 94-75.
 
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