JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Freshman power forward phenom BRIA SMITH (Bayonne, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) produced one of the greatest individual rookie statistical efforts in the 44-year history of New Jersey City University women's basketball, with an emphatic double-double of 29 points and 18 rebounds but NJCU started slow and could not complete a comeback, falling to William Paterson University, 76-68, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on February 8.
 
Smith scored the most points by a freshman since 1990 and the fourth most by a rookie in NJCU history—just three points shy of the program rookie record of 32 set in January 1981 by Hall-of-Famer Christine Mosca. Smith, a five-time NJAC Rookie of the Week and one-time Player of the Week pick, scored 18 points with 11 rebounds in the second half alone, finishing with 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, and 10 of her 18 board were defensive in 37 minutes. She also shot 9-of-15 from the line.
 
But her effort was for naught as NJCU opened the game by shooting just 1-of-21 from the field, falling behind by 17 points in the first half. The Knights were forced to play catch-up from there. NJCU was able to whittle the lead to four points twice in the final five minutes before WP, winners of three straight, pulled away from the line, as the Pioneers improved to 13-9 and 10-5 in the NJAC.
 
The loss was critical for NJCU, seeking its first NJAC Tournament berth since the 1988-89 season. NJCU dropped to 8-14 overall and 5-10 in the league with three conference games left—including the top two teams in the standings, No. 14 ranked Montclair State University (20-2, 14-1), whom the Gothic Knights have never beaten in Montclair, NJ, and The College of New Jersey (15-6, 11-3). The Knights are tied with Rutgers-Newark and Rowan in the standings—having swept Rowan but lost twice to R-N—and just one win behind sixth place Richard Stockton College, which is clutching the league's final tournament berth.

READ MORE: http://njcugothicknights.com/news/2014/2/9/02-08-14_WBASKETBALL_vs_William_Paterson.aspx