JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Rowan University men's basketball team won the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship with an 80-77 victory at New Jersey City University on Friday night.
 
Guard DaRon Curry (sr. Deptford, NJ/Phelps School (PA)) made a layup at the 55 second mark, which tied the score at 77 for the Profs.  With 12 seconds left, guard Matt Green (so. Haddon Heights, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) nailed the winning three-pointer.  The Gothic Knights attempted a three with one second on the clock.
 
Rowan (21-6) receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.  It is the Profs' 11 NJAC title and first since 1999.  New Jersey City (20-7) will have to wait until Monday to see if it receives an at-large bid to the national tournament.  
 
Guard Nick DePersia (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) led Rowan with 19 points and five three-pointers.  Guard/forward Ramon Wright (sr. Newark, NJ/Irvington) contributed with 15 points and nine defensive boards.  Forward Austin Kearney (jr. Monroeville, NJ/Gloucester County Christian) totaled 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench.  
 
Guard Rob DePersia (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) added 12 points and dished five assists. Curry ended the game with 11 points, all in the second half.  Center Diante Bah (jr. Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) grabbed six boards
 
For NJCU, guard James Richardson (sr. Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) scored 19 points.  Forward Sam Toney (jr. Plainfield, NJ/Williamstown) and guard Denzel Banks (so. Newark, NJ/East Orange Campus) followed with 13 and 12 points respectively while forward Yuri Brutus (sr. Roselle, NJ/Roselle Park) had 10.  Forward James Julius (sr. Linden, NJ/Linden) collected eight rebounds.     
 
Rowan was ahead 38-34 to start the second half.  Curry's layup at 17:28 made the score 47-38.  Richardson cut the deficit to six (48-42) with a basket (14:30).  The Profs had an eight point lead (52-44) at 8:20 after Kearney scored with a layup.  NJCU followed with a 13-1 run to go ahead 57-53 with 11:14 remaining.  Richardson contributed with six points in the surge.
 
Curry's baskets tied the score at 57 (10:34) and 59 (10:03).  The Gothic Knights were up 63-59 with 9:45 left.  Wright hit a jumper (8:53) and Rob DePersia (8:20) had a three to take back the lead 64-63.  NJCU had a three-pointer by guard Shaquan Worthy (sr. Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) to go back on top 66-64 at 7:56.  The Gothic Knights held on until the Profs scored seven straight points for the victory. Kearney's layup pulled Rowan within two (77-75) at 1:22 before Curry's tying basket and Green's winning three-pointer.