JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's basketball team produced the most steals in a game in 12 years and were just three shy of the single-game program record as the Gothic Knights used a 34-10 margin in points off turnovers to cruise to a 67-51 non-conference post-Thanksgiving home court victory over Pratt Institute on November 26 inside the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Charlie Brown Court).
NJCU (3-2) never trailed as the defense forced the Cannoneers (1-2) to turn the ball over 36 times with 28 giveaways the result of a Gothic Knight steal. The Knights attempted what it believed to be a single-game school record 98 field goals in the win.
In the first meeting between the schools in 36 seasons, NJCU twice led by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter.
Freshman point guard Tu'ziah Hall (Greenville, N.C./Bannecker (NC)), this week's first NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference) Rookie of the Week, led the Gothic Knights in scoring for the fifth straight outing to start her career. She had a near triple-double with 16 points, eight rebounds, and a team high seven steals, while chipping in three assists in 29 minutes of play.
Her play countered a triple-double performance from Pratt sophomore center Amissa Epperson (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) who had game-highs of 20 rebounds (14 defensive) and 11 blocks, scoring 12 points with three steals in a full 40 minutes. She led Pratt to a 15-block performance—the most blocks by an opposing team since computerized stats began tracking the category in 2000-01.
In 24 minutes of action, freshman forward Atonie Johnson (Irvington, N.J./Irvington) grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and scored six points. Senior guard Kiana Briggs (Paterson, N.J./Passaic County Tech) scored 10 points (5-of-11 FG), collected four rebounds, and dished out two assists in 19 minutes of action.
NJAC steals leader and NJCU junior guard Aaliyah Saud (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro)scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive outing. She had 10 points and collected five steals in 16 minutes of competition. Freshman guard Iyannah Moore (Newark, N.J./University)scored seven points, grabbed seven rebounds, and snatched five steals in 21 minutes.
In the loss for Pratt, which utilized primarily five players in the contest, Anna Bryce added a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds with four assists but committed nine giveaways in 40 minutes. Emily Guerra fell just shy of her own double-double effort with 12 points and eight caroms in a full 40 minutes and had five assists, but committed 11 turnovers.
NJCU struggled from the field, shooting just 27.6 percent overall on 27-of-98 shooting. The single-game record 98 field goal attempts marked the first time in program history it has attempted 90 shots in a game. NJCU held a 37-20 margin in offensive rebounding and had 27 second-chance points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Five different NJCU players scored as the Gothic Knights opened up the game on a 10-0 run in the first 3:14 of action. Pratt countered with the next nine points to get back in it.
With the game knotted at 12-12 with 9:47 left in the second quarter, Hall scored back-to-back baskets to spark a 10-0 run that allowed the Knights to seize a double-digit advantage. NJCU led by no less than seven points the remainder of the game. Up 31-21 at halftime, it still hung onto a 40-33 lead with 4:06 to go in the third. But from there, NJCU unleashed a 13-3 run to close the quarter and led 53-36, before netting the first six points of the fourth period, to build a 59-36, 23-point margin. Over a span of 5:28 between the late third and early fourth quarters, NJCU outscored Pratt, 19-3.
OF NOTE:
- Series: 3rd meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 3-0.
- This was the first meeting between the two teams since January 29, 1981 in Brooklyn, NY (NJCU won, 93-37) and the first in Jersey City since January 31, 1980.
- The triple double by Amissa Epperson was the first triple-double by an opposing player since Manhattanville's Taylor Wilson on December 15, 2012.
- NJCU notched at least 20 steals for the second time this season.
- The 28 steals were the most since grabbing 28 against Medgar Evers on November 20, 2004. NJCU also had 28 steals against Medgar Evers on January 22, 2001.
- The school record for steals are 31, also against Medgar Evers, on December 15, 2001.
WHAT'S NEXT?:
NJCU plays its first road New Jersey Athletic Conference game against William Paterson University on Wednesday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. in Wayne, N.J.
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