JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Jan. 10, 2024) – The New Jersey City University men's basketball team opened up a 39-25 halftime lead and went on to end Rutgers University-Camden's four-game winning streak here Wednesday night with a 77-64 victory in New Jersey Athletic Conference action.
The loss drops the Scarlet Raptors to 8-7 overall and 3-5 in the NJAC, while NJCU improves to 5-10 overall and 2-6 in the conference.
It was the Gothic Knights' fourth straight win against the Scarlet Raptors and improved NJCU to 73-6 in the all-time series.
With the Scarlet Raptors leading, 11-8, early in the first half, the Gothic Knights went on an 11-point run to take the lead for good. After Rutgers-Camden cut its deficit to 21-18, NJCU scored the next eight points on the way to its 14-point halftime advantage.
The Gothic Knights placed eight placers in the scoring column in the first half, led by nine points from junior guard Jaheim Lewis. Rutgers-Camden had nine points from graduate student guard
Javon Gordon.
Trailing, 54-37, early in the second half, the Scarlet Raptors went on a 10-point run, cutting the gape to 54-47 on a trey by sophomore forward
Cameron Downs with 10:30 remaining. NJCU, however, scored the next eight points to turn the Raptors' seven-point deficit into a 15-point hole, 62-47. The Gothic Knights maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
Senior forward Avante Gilbert paced four NJCU players in double figures with 16 points. Lewis collected a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while junior guard Hakeem Wilson and senior guard Will Brown III both added 12 points.
Downs led the Scarlet Raptors with 18 points, while Gordon and junior guard
Eric Benjamin both added 11. Junior forward
Jordany Pierre tied senior guard
Gavin Henry and sophomore guard
Jordan Trusty-Smith with a team-high four rebounds.
Gordon and Trusty-Smith tied for the team lead with three assists apiece, while Trusty-Smith and Downs both had three steals.
NJCU shot 29-for-56 (51.8 percent) from the floor, while Rutgers-Camden went 20-for-59 (33.9). The Gothic Knights also held a 42-32 advantage off the boards.
The Scarlet Raptors return to NJAC action Saturday with a 3 p.m. game at William Paterson University.
