Montclair, NJ – For the second straight day, New Jersey City University got a double-double performance off the bench from freshman forward Ryan Savoy as the Gothic Knights finished off a home-and-home sweep of Montclair State with an 87-69 victory at the Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday.
Savoy posted game-highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Gothic Knights closed out their truncated NJAC schedule at 5-1 overall. Sophomore guard Derryen White had 13 of his 18 points in the second half as the NJCU pulled away late scoring 22 of the game's final 28 points.
Sophomore guard Keyon Pryce collected 16 points for Montclair State, which lost its last two contest to finish 5-3 overall and in conference play.
Both teams will head to the NJAC Tournament which is scheduled to begin on March 5. The full bracket for the tournament will be announced during the weekend.
In a contest that featured 11 ties and 13 lead changes, the Red Hawks and Gothic Knights remained with two possessions of each other until the 11:37 mark of the second half as Kayton Darley connected on a jumper for a 61-54 lead for the visitors. New Jersey City would twice lead by seven in the next two minutes before Montclair closed the gap.
Pryce drained a three-pointer with 9:41 to go cutting the lead to 65-61 and a free throw each by Irving Callender and Joseph Radi pulling Montclair State within 65-63 with eight minutes remaining. However Savoy sparked an eight-point spurt over the next 54 seconds that ended with a Whyte layup giving NJCU a 73-63 advantage.
Callender snapped that streak with a layup, but New Jersey City ripped off the next 15 points to put the game away. Whyte started it with a layup at the 5:12 mark and later added he final eight points, the last on a layup with 1:39 to go making the score 83-65.
Savoy, who posted 19 points and 11 boards in Friday's victory, was 10-of-13 from the field and also added three steals and two blocks. Whyte grabbed five rebounds with Keshon Smith (12 points), Darley and Jahmere Calhoun (10 points) each scoring in double figures.
New Jersey City shot 60 percent for the game, including nearly identical numbers each half – 17-of-29 in the first, 17-of-28 in the second half and outrebounded MSU, 44-26. NJCU also took advantage of 22 Montclair State turnovers, translating those miscues into 33 points.
Junior guard Myles Mitchell-White had 14 points, four rebounds and six assists for the Red Hawks, whoe got 13 points and five rebounds from senior Malachi Smythe and 12 points from Callender. Freshman guard Kieran Flanagan recorded a team-high six rebounds for Montclair State along with four steals.