JERSEY CITY, N.J. — In a night filled with program firsts, the New Jersey City University women's basketball team completed the back-to-back run by winning their second consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship tonight, Saturday, Feb. 26, after defeating The College of New Jersey, 58-52. It is just the second NJAC title in program history — the first-ever on the home floor of Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) — and now the Gothic Knights have earned an automatic bid to the 2021-22 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament for the first time in program history.
In a low scoring defensive battle between Jersey City (13-8) and TCNJ (14-13), the Gothic Knights were able to get support from all over tonight. With two-time First Team All-NJAC selection sophomore co-captain guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) limited to just 11 points — she still managed game highs in assists (6) and steals (2) — junior center Jimmirah Johnson (Prospect Park, N.J./International) and junior co-captain guard Laney Fox (Parkland, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons), a Second Team All-NJAC honoree, stepped up to hold down that three-pronged offensive attack for the Gothic Knights.
All this came inside a packed house as the JMAC was rocking all night long. A sold out Green Army student section, fully geared up in all-black for the #KnightOut, were going strong throughout the entire game. The atmosphere was such that has never been seen before by Gothic Knights' women's basketball, however as a dynasty develops on the West Side, likely will become the norm moving forward.
Johnson was the story of the night for NJCU as the 6-foot-2 forward was a presence down low. She pulled down a game- and career-best 15 rebounds against the Lions and scored 12 points on 5-of-8 from the floor in just 21 minutes. Fox played the full 40 (along with Rodriguez) and scored a team-high 16 points. In spelling Johnson, freshman center Liyah Allen (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) saw 19 minutes off the bench. She was 3-of-4 shooting for seven points, grabbed nine boards and also blocked a shot.
Things started out in the Lions' favor as the road team shot 58.3 percent from the floor in the first quarter, including 7-of-10 from long range en route to a four-point, 22-18 lead after 10 minutes of play. NJCU trimmed that down to a three-point gap after the second quarter. The Gothic Knights continued to slowly trim that deficit more after outscoring TCNJ by two in the third quarter, despite trailing by as many as six points at 40-34 with 3:26 left in the period, to make it a one-point, 42-41 Lions' lead heading into the final quarter.
From that point forward, NJCU went on a 13-2 run to jump out to a five-point, 47-42 lead with 7:29 left in regulation. Six Gothic Knights got in on the action during this stretch, led by four points from Fox. Down the stretch, Jersey City managed to extend it's lead to a game-high eight, 57-49, with just 00:20 remaining following a pair of made free throws from freshman guard Tahirah Kelley (Linden, N.J./Immaculate Conception) before taking the championship by six.
Following the final buzzer, the Gothic Knights bench erupted, storming the on-court players for an all-out celebration. After hugs, high fives, chest bumps and all manner of congratulatory exchanges were made, head coach Pat Devaney, Sr., was drenched in a Gatorade bath. After the floor was sufficiently mopped, and Devaney returned to his feet, the Green and Gold received their 2021-22 NJAC Championship trophy and then broke out the ladder to cut down the net. It was a memory these women won't soon forget.
Up Next:
Now that the ticket to NCAAs has been punch and Jersey City prepares for its first-ever trip to the Tournament in progam history, the Gothic Knights now await the NCAA Selection Show. On Monday afternoon, Feb. 28, at 2:30 p.m., the team will gather at the JMAC for a watch party to see where their destination for national competition will be. Friends, family and Gothic Knights fans all over can also tune in to the selection show here.
The Gothic Knights will compete in the NCAA First Round at a to-be-determined location on Friday, March 4. Stay tuned to NJCUGothicKnights.com to find out on Monday afternoon.