SOURCE: https://njcugothicknights.com/news/2019/2/9/201902-09_WBASKETBALL_vs_Rutgers-Camden.aspx

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In what will be the final home game of their Gothic Knight careers, the four seniors from the New Jersey City University women's basketball team (5-19, 2-15 NJAC) all scored in double figures in a record-setting 83-66 New Jersey Athletic Conference win over Rutgers-Camden (14-10, 9-8 NJAC) on NJCU's 2019 Senior Day on February 9 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (Coach Charlie Brown Court). NJCU crushed two school records—hitting 12 three-pointers while shooting an unconscious 70.6 percent (12-17) from three-point range.   

Christine Bizub, a two-year player, had easily the best game of her career, scoring a game-high 23 points—a full 10 points higher than her previous career-high. She scored every way imaginable, with four made threes (4-6 FG), five made free throws (5-7 FT), and a few buckets on aggressive drives to the rim.

Marajiah Bacon, the all-time leading scorer in NJAC history, took only nine shots on her Senior Day, but she made them count, going 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from the line, en route to a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double—her eighth of the season. She added on three assists, two blocks, and two steals to round out an all-around stuffed stat sheet.

Jesenia Montalvo, a three-year player, also had one of the best games of her career on Senior Day. Her 10 points scored weren't a career-high, but she collected the first double-double of her career, with 10 rebounds and five assists.

Miesha Bacon played the most minutes of any Knight in the big win, tallying 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals in another strong all-around performance.

Teresa Ortiz showed what the future may look like as well, as the freshman guard went 5-of-6 from deep en route to 18 points and four rebounds. One of her threes was bordering on NBA range, sending the freshman into an ode to Carmelo Anthony and the crowd into a tizzy. She was 6-of-9 from the field.

NJCU shot an even 50 percent for the game (29-58) and 13-of-18 from the line (72.2 percent) to complement its record-setting three-point day. NJCU had a team-wide 18 assists on 29 made shots.

Key Moments

The Knights started the game showing off their high-energy defense, but they seemed to be working through some jitters on the offensive end. The result was a combined nine points (6-3 NJCU) through the first 7:25 of game play, before both teams hit a couple shots towards the end of the quarter to send the game into its first break at 10-10.

Camden, who came into the game in a three-way tie for fourth in the NJAC—and only one game up on that final playoff spot—looked as though they were beginning to settle in during the second quarter, going up by five on multiple occasions. However, a 10-2 run from NJCU to end the half—with their leading scorer Marajiah Bacon saddled with two fouls on the bench—gave NJCU the 25-22 lead going into the break.

In the third, the Knights really made their move. After a Shane Holmes (Mount Laurel, N.J.) three to tie the game at 27-27, the Knights went on a crowd-frenzy-inducing 13-0 run, with four different scorers all contributing. By the end of the quarter, the Knights had scored 30 points and extended their lead out to 17 (55-38).

There would be no letting down the guard to allow the Raptors to sneak back in, either. The Knights extended their lead out to as large as 22, never letting Camden get closer than 16, allowing head coach Pat Devaney Sr. to take out his seniors for a well-deserved ovation in the final minutes of the game.

The Raptors had three player in double figures: junior guard Fatimah Williams (Camden N.J.) with 22 points; freshman guard Wykira Johnson-Kelly (Franklinville, N.J.), a three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week pick, with 16 points and six assists; and Holmes with 15 of her own. Senior guard Gabby Greene (Howell, N.J.), who entered the game averaging 13.7 points, was limited to 1-of-14 overall and 1-of-9 from three-point distance for five points.

NOTABLES:

• Series: 63rd meeting, Camden now leads 38-25, as the Knights broke a seven-game Camden win streak in the leads the all-time series
• NJCU's 12 three-pointers made breaks the previous team single-game record of 10 achieved three times:
• • 10, at CCNY on January 30, 2008
  • 10, vs. William Paterson on February 16, 2008
  • 10, at Ramapo on December 10, 2014.
• NJCU's 70.6 percent three-point percentage crushes the previous record of 55.6 percent at Ramapo on December 10, 2014.
• Marajiah Bacon now has 2,149 career points, 30th in Division III history. Full list: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/w_basketball_RB/2019/D3.pdf
• Marajiah Bacon saw her scoring average drop slightly to 23.4 points per game. She still leads the NJAC in scoring and now ranks sixth in the country in points per game. Her steals per game average dropped slightly, down to 4.2 steals per game on the season, where she ranks third in the country.
• Christine Bizub scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and eighth time in her career. The 23 points were a career-high.
• Miesha Bacon scored in double figures for the 13th time this season. Her five assists were a high for her NJCU career.
• Jesenia Montalvo scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the 14th time in her career. The 10 rebounds were a career-high.
• Teresa Ortiz has now posted double-digit point totals in seven of her eight career games at NJCU.
• Marajiah Bacon has now scored in double figures 90 times in 92 career games between Kean (2015-18, 67 times in 68 games) and NJCU (23 times in 24 games). Other updated career totals for Bacon:
• • 20-Point Games: 61 (44 at Kean, 17 at NJCU)
  • 25-Point Games: 42 (30 at Kean, 12 at NJCU)
  • 30-Point Games: 21 (16 at Kean, five at NJCU)
  • 35-Point Games: 10 (eight at Kean, two at NJCU)
  • 40-Point Games: 5 (four at Kean; career high, 46 at NJCU)
• Marajiah Bacon is chasing multiple single-season NJCU records. Here are all updates through game 24 of the 2018-19 season.

Points

1.    620    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89

2.    562    Marajiah Bacon (24 games)     - 2018-19

3.    462    Chris Mosca (22 games)     - 1980-81

4.    461    Doris Nicholson (27 games)     - 1988-89

5.    443    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98

Scoring average (minimum 10 games)

1.    25.8    Monique Hemingway     (24 games)    1988-89

2.    23.4    Marajiah Bacon     (24 games)    2018-19

3.    21.0    Chris Mosca     (22 games)    1980-81

4.    20.7    Patrice Hurt     (13 games)    1984-85

5.    19.3    Tara Mitchell     (23 games)    1997-98

Field goals made

1.    241    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89

2.    205    Doris Nicholson (27 games)     - 1988-89

3.    205    Marajiah Bacon (24 games)     - 2018-19

4.    173    Doris Nicholson (22 games)     - 1987-88

5.    172    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98

Field goals attempted

1.    567    Marajiah Bacon (23 games)     - 2018-19

2.    477    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89

3.    430    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98

4.    404    Lashawn Overton (22 games)     - 2008-09

5.    403    Ebony Cunningham (23 games)     - 2009-10

Free throws made

1.    154    Chris Mosca (22 games)     - 1980-81

2.    138    Monique Hemingway (24 games)     - 1988-89

3.    135    Bria Smith (25 games)     - 2014-15

4.    111    Marajiah Bacon (23 games)     - 2018-19

5.    99    Tara Mitchell (23 games)     - 1997-98

Steals average (minimum 10 games)

1.    5.4    Latrese McNair     (27 games)    2004-05

2.    5.1    Latrese McNair     (24 games)    2005-06

3.    4.4    Latrese McNair     (25 games)    2006-07

4.    4.2    Marajiah Bacon     (23 games)    2018-19

5.    4.0    Monique Hemingway     (21 games)    1984-85

UP NEXT:

• The Knights wrap up their season with a road game against Ramapo College (10-14, 5-12 NJAC) on Wednesday, February 13. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Mahwah, N.J.

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