Box Score
JERSEY CITY, NJ – The New Jersey City University men’s basketball team held on for a 61-59 win over conference opponent Rowan University on Saturday afternoon.
With 3:04 left in the game, the Gothic Knights were ahead 59-53. The Profs trailed by three after forward Jason Sofman (so. West Milford, NJ/West Milford) made three foul shots, two at 2:56 and one at 1:27. Guard Kaihrique Irick (jr. Teaneck NJ/Teaneck) followed with one free throw with one minute remaining and forward David Jones (jr. Millville, NJ/Cumberland Reg.) hit the second of two free throws at the 57-second mark to lead 61-56. With 44 seconds left, Rowan guard Phil Jackson (so. Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) nailed a three to cut the deficit to two (61-59). NJCU turned the ball over with 23 seconds on the clock. Guard Rich McNamara’s (so. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) three-pointer attempt was blocked by Irick. Center Dee Benson (so. Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) grabbed the rebound for the Profs and his jumper was knocked away by Jones.
New Jersey City is undefeated with a 5-0 record. It was the first New Jersey Athletic Conference game for the Gothic Knights. Rowan is 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference. Forward Walik Albright (jr. Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) paced NJCU with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Irick totaled 11 points and guard Naadir Williams (jr. Newark, NJ/Weequahic) followed with 10. Center Matt Washington (sr. Hackensack, NJ/Paterson Catholic) chipped in with eight points and eight boards.
McNamara ended the game with 17 points and six rebounds. Benson contributed with 14 points and Sofman collected 13. Sofman also pulled down 10 boards and Benson totaled eight. Guard Jason Rosenberg (so. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) dished 10 assists.
Rowan started the second half with a five-point advantage (29-24). Benson’s tip-in at 14:19 made the score 38-31. Williams hit a three-pointer at 13:09 and NJCU trailed by three (38-35). The Profs were up by seven (43-36) after a layup by Benson (11:12). The Gothic Knights answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead (45-43). The surge ended at 9:13 with a three by Williams. McNamara (8:34) and Benson (7:38) put the Profs back on top (48-45) with a three-pointer and a layup respectively. Albright followed with a free throw (7:28) and Irick’s layup (5:51) tied the game at 48. Albright sunk two foul shots (5:21) to lead 50-48. McNamara’s three at the five-minute mark gave Rowan a one-point advantage (51-50). Irick shot a three (3:32) and Albright added a basket (3:04) to go up 59-53.
The score was tied three times in the first 8:38. The last one came at 11:22 when Albright’s layup knotted the score at nine. Rosenberg had a jumper and foul shot (11:11) and Sofman added a layup (11:00) for a five-point advantage (14-9). Sofman extended the lead to 10 points (23-13) with two free throws (9:00) and a layup (7:38). Washington’s basket at 4:07 pulled NJCU within five points (27-22). Jackson made a layup (2:48) and Washington had a tip-in (0:16) to end the first half scoring. Rowan was ahead 29-24 at the intermission.
Next, Rowan hosts Rosemont College on Monday, December 5 at 8 p.m.
