MAHWAH, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | For the first time in 10 years, the New Jersey City University women's basketball program has won back-to-back road wins in the challenging New Jersey Athletic Conference. Junior wing Dayjah Anderson hit a layup with one second remaining to force overtime and junior forward Ayanna Lewis hit a go-ahead jumper with 37 seconds left in the extra session as the Gothic Knights overcame Ramapo College, 68-64 in one overtime on January 15 at the Bill Bradley Sports and Recreation Center.
The Gothic Knights (5-8, 3-5 NJAC) move into sixth place in the NJAC standings after eight games of the 18-game round-robin schedule; the top six teams qualify for the NAJC Tournament. Ramapo fell to 8-7, 2-6 NJAC.
Lewis would take over in overtime, scoring seven of her 17 points in the final five minutes. She had 17 points and nine rebounds with a pair of blocks off the bench. Anderson led all scorers with 18 points, adding seven rebounds, and two assists for the game.
Senior shooting guard Hannah Johnson did a little of everything with 10 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Freshman power forward Sarah Edmond continued her dominance on the glass with 14 rebounds while contributing eight points, two assists, and two steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Roadrunners got the first bucket of the game, but it was the Knights who got off to an early lead, with a pair of threes — first from junior guard Alexandria Sams and then from Johnson—that helped spark an 8-2 start that would help the Knights hold a 21-13 lead by the end of the first quarter.
- It was the only quarter in regulation that NJCU outscored the Roadrunners and one of the best first quarters for the team this season, as they were able to get Ramapo on their back heels with a press that helped lead to five first quarter turnovers for the Roadrunners. The Knights won the points off turnovers battle for the night, collecting 17 points off their 24 forced turnovers.
- The Knights pushed their lead out to as large as nine with an Anderson layup at the 8:58 mark in the second. However, Ramapo was able to slowly chip in to that lead, getting the margin down to four at the break (27-23) thanks to some tight defense that allowed NJCU to score only six points in the second quarter.
- The third quarter saw the Knights stretch the lead out to eight in the early minutes, but Ramapo refused to fold, thanks to its ability to get to the line. RCNJ was awarded 36 free throws for the game, making 23. NJCU was 17-28.
- The latter five minutes of the third belonged to the home team, with Ramapo narrowing the margin to just one (39-38).
- A three from Anderson on the first possession of the fourth gave the Knights some breathing room for a second, but less than two minutes later, senior guard Cherie Smedile (Saddle Brook, N.J.) gave the Roadrunners their first lead of the game since 2-0, connecting on three of her team-high 16 points to go ahead 43-42.
- Lewis gave the Knights the lead right back just after, and the two teams traded the lead five times in the period. Down 48-44, NJCU scored the next five, including a triple from Sams, to regain the lead (49-48) before Ramapo scored the next six points.
- With 1:39, senior guard Samantha Rinaldi (Ridgefield Park, N.J.), who had 11 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and three assists, pushed the Ramapo lead out to four, matching its largest of the game, to end the six-point stretch.
- The Knights did not get flustered. Johnson connected on a jumper and then a layup on back-to-back possessions to tie things up at 54-54 with 1:06 to go.
- The next possession saw senior center Jessica Repasy (Fredon, N.J.) give Ramapo the lead on a jumper with 44 seconds left. The clubs traded a pair of split free throws, leaving the Knights trailing by two with 10 seconds left (57-55), before Anderson's lay-in with 1.5 left forced overtime.
- NJCU held Ramapo scoreless for nearly the final 2:36 of overtime and two just two field goals in the period. Knotted at 62-62 midway through overtime after Lewis hit two from the line, neither team scored again until Lewis' go-ahead jumper with 37 seconds left. NJCU would ice the game at the line with one from senior guard Aaliyah McCrae and Lewis sinking two more with 13 seconds left.
NOTABLES:
- Series: 74th meeting, Ramapo leads 45-29. NJCU snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Roadrunners.
- NJCU wins consecutive road NJAC games for the first time since January 16 and 20, 2010. NJCU beat Rutgers-Camden (77-71) and Ramapo (58-55).
UP NEXT:
- NJCU seeks its third consecutive conference win when it hosts Rutgers-Camden (9-6, 2-6) who currently sit right below the Knights in the NJAC standings. The game will take place on Saturday, January 18 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. It will be First Responders Day at NJCU.
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