SOURCE: https://njcugothicknights.com/news/2019/1/14/201901-14_WBASKETBALL_vs_Wesleyan.aspx

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's basketball team (4-12) put up a strong fight against Wesleyan University (Conn.) (9-6), trailing by just two entering the fourth quarter but the Cardinals closed out NJCU, 72-65. It was the final non-conference game of the season for NJCU and played on Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on January 14.
 
The matchup was only the second time NJCU has hosted a team from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in any sport after hosting two-time defending national champion Amherst earlier this year.
 
The NJCU offense, for the second straight game, showed an improved balance, as four different players scored in double figures, the first time outside of their blowout victory over Pratt that the team was able to accomplish that. Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) did still lead the way for the Knights, as she scored a game-high 26 points, but she was able to do so on just 19 shots, while adding seven rebounds and a season-tying six assists.
 
Bacon moved into fourth place in NJAC history with 1,994 career points and needs just six more points to reach the 2,000-point plateau. Ironically, the next team on the schedule is the school she played with for three seasons—Kean University. Bacon will become the first woman to ever reach the 2,000-point threshold while wearing an NJCU uniform.
 
Furthermore, Teresa Ortiz (Newark, N.J./University) impressed for the third straight game, collecting her first career double-double in what was a new career-high in minutes played (36). The freshman, playing in just her third game, tallied 13 points and added 10 rebounds. Senior forward Miesha Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) had a strong all-around game with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while senior swing Christine Bizub (Fort Lee, NJ/Fort Lee) continued her recent run of aggressive play, scoring 10 points and pulling down three boards.
 
The Cardinals took the lead early in the first and never trailed in the quarter, extending their lead to as much as eight in the opening salvo. The Knights showed they were going to be more than game in the second, though, not letting Wesleyan extend their lead past seven and heading into the half down just three, 30-27.
 
The Gothic Knights came out of the break strong and aggressive, scoring the first five points and taking their first lead of the game (32-30) at the 9:18 mark of the game when Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) kicked out to an open Bizub who drilled the corner three. From there, the two teams traded the lead back and forth for the rest of the quarter; NJCU led by as many as four, 47-43, when Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) hit a fast-break jumper off a steal from her sister with 4:03 remaining, but it was the Cardinals who wrestled the lead back heading into the fourth (51-49).
 
Ortiz tied the game on the Knights' first possession of the fourth, but the Cardinals responded with a basket on the next possession, and they would hold the lead the rest of the game. NJCU got to within one several times in the final frame, the latest being at the 6:15 mark, but the Wesleyan size began to overpower the Knights, as Wesleyan collected nine offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, only three less than NJCU had the entire game.
 
The Knights also had to go without their top scorer, Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune), for 3:03 late in the fourth after she picked up her fourth foul. On the very first possession with Bacon on the bench, the Cardinals knocked down a huge three—a dagger with 4:05 remaining as freshman guard Caleigh Ryan (New York, N.Y.) hit a corner three to push the lead to six, 65-59. Wesleyan increased its lead from three to eight while Bacon was on the bench in the fourth.
 
Wesleyan was led by Ryan, who scored 20 points (7-15, 3-6 3FG) and had 10 rebounds. The Cardinals dealt with foul trouble of their own, with Chyna Bailey (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Tara Berger (Purchase, N.Y) both limited to 24 minutes because of fouls. Both players still had strong games, with Bailey pulling down 13 rebounds, with six assists and five points. Berger added 15 and pulling down eight boards. Olivia Gorman (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) also had a strong game, with 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two blocks.
 
The Knights were once again done in due to their lack of size, with Wesleyan doubling up NJCU in terms of points in the paint (28-14), and nearly doing the same on second-chance points (17-9). Neither team led by more than 10 at any point in the game.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: First-ever meeting.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) saw her scoring averaging stay right on 25.4. She leads the NJAC in scoring, while ranking third in the country in points per game. Her one steal sees her steals per game average drop slightly to 4.9; she ranks second in the country.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) now has 1,994 career points. She is six away from joining the 2,000-point club—something achieved by just 46 players in Division III history. The only other player in Division III near the milestone is Madison Temple of nation powerhouse Thomas More with 1,924 points, but has already played 22 games this season and does not play again until January 26.
• Bacon surpassed Kean's Melissa Beyruti (2006-10, 1974 points) to climb into fourth place in NJAC history in scoring.
• Christine Bizub (Fort Lee, NJ/Fort Lee) had her sixth career double-digit scoring effort.
• Teresa Ortiz has reached double figures in all three of her career games; this was her first double-double and a career-high in rebounds.
• Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) has now scored in double figures 83 times in 84 career games between Kean (2015-18, 67 times in 68 games) and NJCU (16 times in 16 games). Other updated career totals for Bacon:
  • 20-Point Games: 57 (44 at Kean, 13 at NJCU)
  • 25-Point Games: 38 (30 at Kean, eight at NJCU)
  • 30-Point Games: 20 (16 at Kean, four at NJCU)
  • 35-Point Games: 10 (eight at Kean, two at NJCU)
  • 40-Point Games: 5 (four at Kean; career high, 46 at NJCU)

 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights host Kean University (7-9, 4-5 NJAC) in what has a chance to be a historic game, if Marajiah Bacon (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) scores at least six points against her former team. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. on Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center on Wednesday, January 16.

 
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