Wednesday, December 8, 2010 (Women's Basketball)

GOTHIC KNIGHTS PULL OUT EXCITING ROAD WIN; NJCU HOLDS OFF JOHN JAY, 74-73

NEW YORK, NY (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore guard NIDIA CARMONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) swiped her sixth steal of the game and fed  senior guard CAROLINA GARCIA (Plainfield, NJ/Franklin) for a spinning layup with 22 seconds remaining to break the 14^th tie of the night and Carmona added a free throw with 13 seconds left as New Jersey City University's women's basketball team survived a dogfight in the Doghouse, holding off host John Jay College, 74-73, in a non-conference game on Wednesday evening in Midtown Manhattan.

The win by NJCU (2-6) erased a four-game losing streak; John Jay fell to 2-4 with the loss, despite grabbing 23 steals in the contest. The clubs combined for 73 turnovers in the game (39-34 NJCU) which accounted for 54 of the 147 points scored. NJCU leads the all-time series, 9-5. Each school led by as many as eight points during the affair.

Garcia netted 19 for the second straight game, making 8-of-22 overall and 2-of-4 from three-point range. Carmona added 17 points, including 8-of-10 from the line and 4-of-7 field goals, while playing a full 40 minutes. She had six steals and four assists.

Freshman forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) collected her second consecutive double-double, finishing with a career-best and game-high 16 rebounds, while scoring 14 points (5-15 FG). Freshman forward MARIA SUAREZ (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) contributed 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and had six rebounds and sophomore forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) added eight rebounds (seven defensive) and six points.

John Jay received  a game-best 25 points (8-17 FG) from senior guard Jessica Lirio (Bronx, NY/St. Barnabas)—including 9-of-11 free throw shooting, with five steals, four assists and four rebounds in 38 minutes.

Senior guard Dominique Grice (North Babylon, NY/North Babylon) had a near triple-double, compiling 17 points (6-12 FG, 5-10 FT), seven assists, seven steals and five rebounds in 37 minutes before fouling out while stopping the clock in the final seconds. Reigning CUNYAC Rookie-of-the-Week Jamecia Forsythe (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) added 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Freshman forward Elizabeth New ton (Bronx, NY/Bronx HS of Music) tallied 12 rebounds, seven points and five steals.

In a wild first half, there were eight lead changes and six ties. NJCU led by as many as eight points, 24-18, with 7:38 left when Carmona buried a triple. NJCU claimed a 37-33 edge at the intermission. An example of the roller-coaster basketball action came in the final five minutes. Tied at 26-26, Suarez scored two buckets and Garcia converted a three-point play for a 33-26 margin with 2:55 left. John Jay stormed back and evened the game at 33-33 just 45 seconds later after Lirio hit two foul shots. Baskets by freshman center OLIVIA OBANYE (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) and Hernaiz closed the half as NJCU led by four.

The game continued to see-saw in the second period, with the clubs trading baskets, and forcing ties at 39-39 and 50-50. The Knights led 52-50 with 10:54 left before the Bloodhounds bit back, scoring 10 straight points for a 60-52 advantage (8:23). Lirio scored six of the 10 points.

NJCU answered. Garcia's three, followed by her offensive rebound and putback, and coupled with back-to-back layups by Suarez and Carmona in a span of 20 seconds saw the Knights force a nine-point swing and grab a 61-60 lead with 6:02 left. Neither club led by more than one possession in the final six minutes.

Ties ensued at 62, 64, 65, 67 and 69-69 after Grice and Suarez traded baskets within six seconds of each other. Sophomore guard/forward Shantel Rodriguez (Rio Piedra, Puerto Rico) put the Bloodhounds up 71-69 with 2:05 remaining with an offensive board and putback.

NJCU committed a turnover with 1:33 remaining but Grice, who claimed the steal, gave the ball up and committed a foul. Kaminski proved clutch with 1:25 on the board, knocking down both free throws.

With the game knotted at 71-71—the 14^th tie of the contest—John Jay tried to reclaim the lead. But despite three offensive rebounds after missed shots, the hosts could not put one in over the Knights and turned it over with 54 seconds left as Carmona was credited with another pick. The Knights were unable to capitalize on two scoring chances and committed another turnover of its own with 46 seconds to go.

But after a John Jay timeout, Carmona stole an errant pass from Rodriguez, who fed Garcia for the transition points and a 73-71 lead. Forsythe coughed up the rock with 14 seconds left. Carmona, who was fouled to stop the clock, hit the front end of two foul shots for a 74-71 cushion, but missed the second chance. Rodriguez cut the deficit to one, 74-73 with a late layup with five seconds left but John Jay was unable to commit a foul on the inbounds pass to stop the clock as Hernaiz killed the clock by throwing up a three-point shot.

NJCU returns to action on Saturday, December 11 as the Gothic Knights host SUNY Brockport at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on "Coach Charlie Brown Court". The opening tip is slated for 1 p.m.

—www.njcugothicknights.com—