Friday, November 18, 2011 (Women's Basketball)

GOTHIC KNIGHTS RALLY IN FINAL TWO MINUTES TO TIE, BEFORE FALLING BY THREE IN 2011-12 OPENER

ST. MARY'S CITY, MD (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored 13 of her team-high 18 points in the second half as New Jersey City University rallied from a 14-point first half deficit to tie the game at 64-64, before host St. Mary's College (Md.) held on for a 67-64 victory in the opening round of the 2011 Cherry Cove Seahawk Tip-Off Tournament on Friday evening at O'Brien ARC Arena.

NJCU (0-1), playing its 2011-12 season opener under first-year head coach AMY MULLIGAN, committed two late turnovers after tying the game. The Knights gave away 30 turnovers, versus just 15 for the hosts Seahawks (1-1), and SMC held a 24-12 advantage in points off giveaways in winning its first game of the season. The all-time series is even, 1-1; NJCU won this tournament during the 2005-06 campaign.

NJCU will play in the consolation game against the loser of #15 Greensboro College and Cabrini College on Saturday at 1 p.m.

In defeat, four players scored in double figures for NJCU, led by Kaminski with 18 points (6-15 FG, 6-7 FT), eight rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes. Sophomore power forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) tallied her fourth career double-double, finishing with 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-5 FT) and 11 rebounds (seven defensive).

Junior shooting guard GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) collected 11 points (4-7 FG), converting a pair of three-point shots, with three assists before fouling out in 20 minutes.

Junior transfer forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) had a solid effort in her NJCU debut, chipping in 10 points (3-6 FG, 4-4 FT), four assists and four rebounds in 24 minutes.

St. Mary's was paced by junior guard Jasmine Jones (Gaithersburg, MD) who registered a game-high 23 points, making 5-of-9 from the field including all three three-pointers she attempted, while converting 10-of-13 from the line. She added four assists.

Sophomore forward Shana Lewis (Bowie, MD) added 11 points (3-15 FG) and seven rebounds while sophomore forward Marche Pearson (Laurel, MD) grabbed eight rebounds and had six points.

NJCU shot well, making 42.3 percent of its shots (22-52), including 14-of-29 (.483) in the second half. The Knights also sank 17-of-23 from the foul line (.739) and limited the Seahawks to 20-of-60 shooting (.333). NJCU easily won the battle on the boards, out-rebounding the Seahawks, 48-31.

After an early four-point lead for NJCU, the Seahawks took control with a 14-1 run to build a 17-8 lead. Jones scored 11 points for SMC in the first half and the hosts built their largest lead with 4:26 remaining in the period—a 28-14, 14-point cushion. SMC led by nine at halftime, 31-22.

A three by Rivera four minutes into the second half made it a five-point game before the Seahawks pushed the lead back to 11, 48-37 with 12:02 to play. St. Mary's continued to maintain a healthy nine-point advantage when Jones scored with 5:14 remaining and held a 60-52 edge with 4:02 left.

Then Kaminski scored seven consecutive points to orchestrate the rally, converting a pair of free throws at the 3:36 and 3:27 marks to make it a four-point game (60-56) before her three-point play with 2:59 on the clock cut it to three, 62-59.

SMC freshman guard Sarit Truskey (Chevy Chase, MD) made a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 64-59 before junior guard NIDIA CARMONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) drained a three-pointer with 2:06 left to make it a two-point game. With 1:36 to play Cassarello was fouled and sank both free throws, tying the game at 64-64.

It was the last points NJCU would score. After gaining a defensive rebound following a missed layup by the Seahawks, the Knights turned the ball over and junior forward Joanna Murray (Reistertown, MD) put the hosts back in front to stay with a layup off a feed from Lewis with 45 seconds remaining. With 31 seconds left, NJCU missed a shot but recovered the offensive rebound, before committing another turnover.

St. Mary's was fouled and with 21 seconds remaining, sophomore guard Raven Owens (Arnold, MD) sank the first foul shot, before missing the backend and Hernaiz secured the rebound before the Knights called a timeout with 12 seconds to go. However, the Knights were unable to find the game-tying shot as Carmona's three-point attempt at the buzzer would not fall.

—www.njcugothicknights.com—