MAHWAH, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Leading by just two at halftime, Ramapo College shot 77.8 percent from three-point range in the second half to pick up a key 81-71 New Jersey Athletic Conference victory over the New Jersey City University men's basketball team on January 15 at the Bill Bradley Center.
Ramapo shot 60.9 percent in the second half (14-23) and 7-of-9 from three-point range to improve to 8-7 overall and 4-4 in the NJAC—one game in front of NJCU (6-9, 3-5 NJAC) in the standings. The Roadrunners shot 58.8 percent from three-point distance in the game (10-17)—the second highest percentage by an opponent this season. RCNJ had shot just 3-of-8 in the first half before bouncing back in the second half.
NJCU lost despite one of its most accurate free-throw percentages in program history—14-of-15—for 93.3 percent.
Senior small forward Jaimik Moore led NJCU with 20 points (6-17 FG, 3-9 3FG) and junior shooting guard Denzel Banks added 14 points (6-11 FG). Two-time NJAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American senior power forward Sam Toney only attempted six shots, finishing with 11 points (6-6 FT), five rebounds and two blocks.
Four players hit for double figures for Ramapo, led by senior guard Connor Romano with 24 points, including 6-of-10 three-point success. He added seven rebounds and four assists.
Also for RCNJ, senior guard Rob McWilliams had 17 points (6-12, 3-5 3FG) and seven rebounds, senior forward Matt Latka (4-7 FG) tallied 11 points and seven boards and sophomore point guard Jason Battle collected 10 points and five assists.
NJCU never led in the first half and fell behind by 11 points (28-17) with 10:59 to go in the period after being held scoreless for a stretch of 3:19 which allowed Ramapo to go on an 8-0 run. NJCU answered with a 12-0 run to tie the game at 29-29 as freshman point guard Kyree Myers hit a pair of three balls. The schools traded threes in the final two minutes to go to the break separated by two points (38-36).
NJCU took its only lead of the game on a lay-up and three-point play by Moore 1:54 into the half for a 42-41 edge. But Ramapo answered. Romano hit triples on back-to-back trips (17:52 and 17:37) and Latka buried Ramapo's third three in a row (16:53) to cap an 8-0 run. After Romano sank another trey with 11 minutes left to elevate the margin to double figures (59-49), NJCU could not draw closer than eight the rest of the way.
NOTABLES:
- Series: 97th meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 69-28.
- Jaimik Moore scored in double figures for the eighth time in nine games after missing six games between November 19 and December 17. It was his sixth straight double-digit scoring effort. His 20 points were two shy of his career-high of 22 against Wisconsin-River Falls on December 29 in Las Vegas.
- Toney is seventh in school history with 1,577 points. Next up on NJCU's all-time list: Eric Moore with 1,587 points (1976-80). Toney scored in double figures for the 78th time in 99 career games.
- Toney has 205 career three pointers and is five shy of becoming NJCU's all-time leader. Former All-American Dana John owns the record with 209 career threes (209-580, .360) from 2005-08.
- Denzel Banks scored in double figures for the 10th time this season and for the 24th time in 43 career games.
UP NEXT:
- NJCU hosts Rutgers-Camden on Saturday, January 18 at 3 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). It will be the final game of the first half of the 18-game NJAC schedule. Camden comes in at 5-9 (2-6 NJAC), coming off a huge road upset of first-place Montclair State (89-77) on February 15 in Montclair, N.J. It will be the 71st meeting in a series NJCU has dominated, 65-5. NJCU has won 27 of the last 28 meetings and 55 of the last 57 matchups. It will be First Responders Day at NJCU. All first responders with their professional identification and their families will be admitted free to both games of the doubleheader.
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