JAMAICA, QUEENS, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's basketball team had four players score in double figures and posted its most lopsided season-opening victory in 17 years, routing York College (NY), 68-30, on November 15 at the York College Gymnasium.
 
NJCU (1-0) led by just two after the first quarter (15-13) but outscored the Cardinals (0-1) 16-6 in the second quarter for a 31-19 halftime lead, then punctuated its victory with a decisive 20-3 third quarter. Leading 51-12, the Gothic Knights limited the Cardinals to just eight points in the fourth.  This is the second time in three seasons that NJCU won its season opener.
 
In the victory, NJCU's defense held York to 24.5 percent shooting overall and just 8.3 percent beyond the arc (1-12). NJCU forced the Cardinals into 37 giveaways and the Knights converted that into a decisive 37-6 margin in points off turnovers. NJCU had 20 steals in the win.
 
Nine Gothic Knights players, including six newcomers, saw 17 minutes or more of playing time in the opener. NJCU outscored York 28-12 in bench points.
 
Freshman point guard Tu'ziah Hall (Greenville, N.C./Banneker (NC)) led all players with 12 points, adding six rebounds and five assists in her NJCU debut while senior forward Ziyadah Williams (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) fell one rebound short of her second career double-double as she scored 10 points (5-8 FG) and collected nine rebounds against the Cardinals.
 
Junior guard Aaliyah Saud (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) and freshman guard Iyannah Moore (Newark, N.J./University) also contributed 10 points apiece. Saud also chipped in six steals and four assists.
 
Junior center Shege Haxhaj (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) and freshman guard Atonie Johnson (Irvington, N.J./Irvington) each collected eight points and eight rebounds in the lopsided victory. Freshman 6-foot-2 center Melissa Etienne (Maplewood, N.J./Columbia)grabbed eight boards and added four points in her first collegiate action.
 
NJCU only trailed once in the contest when York scored the game's first basket to take a 2-0 lead. After allowing 13 points in the first quarter, the Gothic Knights held York to single digits in the last three quarters. Up 20-17, the visitors limited York to just one field goal in the final 7:07 of the second quarter and outscored the Cardinals 11-2 to finish the period.
 
The visitors used a 9-2 run in the final 5:37 of play in the second quarter to pull away from York and take a 12-point lead into the locker room. Out of the halftime break the strong play continued for the Knights with a 7-0 run to extend its lead to 19 (38-19) behind four points from Williams and a Hill three pointer. Overall the streak was 18-2 between the end of the second and early third quarters.
 
York shot just 1-of-14 (.071) in the third quarter. The Cardinals scored just one point in the final 6:38 of the quarter as NJCU scored 13 of the final 14 points. York once again went cold to end the fourth quarter as NJCU finished the game on a 12-0 run in the final 4:08. The 38-point final margin was NJCU's largest of the game.
 
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Second-year head coach Robyn Burton on the win: "We got off to a slow start, but we were able to pick it up in the second quarter. We still have a lot of work to do, so we'll celebrate tonight and get back to the lab tomorrow. Overall, it was a good team victory, but the grind doesn't stop."
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: NJCU leads, 7-0 (results from 1975 and 1976 unknown); first meeting since December 12, 2009 in Jamaica, NY (NJCU won, 65-64).
• Ziyadah Williams equaled her career-high of 10 points against Rowan University on January 30, 2016.
• The win was the largest margin of victory since a 63-point margin vs. Green Mountain College (January 3, 2015, 92-29).
• The win was the largest margin of victory in a season opener since November 19, 1999, an 81-point home win vs. CCNY (96-15).
• The win was the 62nd victory by a margin of 30 or more points in school history (third vs. York).

WHAT'S NEXT?:
The Gothic Knights remain on the road as they head to Norton, Mass. for the two-day Wheaton College (Mass.) Tournament where they will take on the Lyons on Friday at 5:30 p.m. before facing either Newbury or Framingham State on Saturday. The losers from Friday's two games will play on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. while the winners square off at 3:00 p.m.

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