Rutgers-Newark broke a 46-46 tie with 2:15 remaining when junior forward Eni Fageyinbo (Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills) hit a short jumper, and the Scarlet Raiders clinched a berth in next month’s New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament, surviving for a 50-48 in an NJAC North Division women’s basketball game at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
Rutgers-Newark (14-6, 7-2 NJAC) clinches its third consecutive winning season and a berth in the conference tournament for a third straight year. The Raiders lead the all-time series, 31-20, and have won the last seven meetings between the schools. R-N also sweeps the season series, winning the December 6 meeting, 54-47. The loss for NJCU (7-12, 2-7 NJAC) snaps a three-game winning streak.
Junior guard Sabrina Sanchez (Keasbey, NJ/Woodbridge) had 10 points at the half as Newark led 28-16. She finished with a game-high 14, adding six rebounds and five steals. Sophomore guard Olabimpe Fageyinbo (Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills) had 11 points (4-7 FG), eight rebounds (six offensive), four steals, three blocks and three assists. Eni Fageyinbo finished with nine points and six boards.
Senior point guard LATRESE McNAIR (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) was one of two NJCU players in double figures, scoring 12 points, along with five rebounds and five assists. She played a full 40 minutes for the seventh time this year. Now with 2,957 career minutes played, she becomes NJCU’s all-time leader, passing Head Coach ASHANTE TIMOLL’s record of 2,947 minutes from 1996-00.
McNair now has 1,145 career points and 442 steals.
Also for the Gothic Knights, freshman guard CAROLINA GARCIA (Franklin Park, NJ/Franklin) hit 6-of-11 shots, finishing with 12 points, while junior forward ARNESE GOODMAN (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) had eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Junior power forward TIFFANY BOYD (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln), who ranks No. 2 in Division III in blocked shots, rejected six in 21 minutes, chipping in six points.
In a low scoring first half, Newark owned a slim 9-5 lead with 7:46 reading on the clock. It was 20-14 with 3:24 left before the Raiders outscored NJCU 8-2 the remainder of the period, for a 12-point, 28-16 halftime advantage.
NJCU chipped into the second half lead, but Newark still led by nine, 42-33, after a layup by sophomore guard Youngor Kehleay (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional) with 11:00 left.
NJCU exploded for a 13-1 run to build a three-point, 46-43 margin with 5:22 remaining, as the Knights grabbed their first lead since it was 2-0. McNair had the final seven points during the streak, and Boyd had three of her six blocks. After a three-point play by McNair put the Knights ahead 44-43 at 6:23 , Boyd stuffed another Newark shot at 5:27, and McNair raced up court with the defensive rebound for a fast-break lay-up at 5:22.
But the Knights suffered yet another late-game scoring drought, tallying just two points in the final 5:22. A free throw by junior guard Nerlande Nicolas (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) made it 46-44 at 4:16. She tied the game at 46-46 with 3:07 remaining with a jumper. Eni Fageyinbo put Newark in front to stay with her jumper at 2:15, and Nicolas added one free throw with 31 seconds left for a three-point, 49-46 margin. Garcia sank a lay-up with eight seconds left, cutting the deficit to 49-48, but Olabimpe Fageyinbo made one free throw with 4.6 seconds remaining, extending the Raider lead to 50-48. NJCU could not get a clean shot off at the end of the game. In the final 5:22, NJCU shot just 1-of-8 and committed four turnovers.
Each team shot under 37 percent overall, and struggled from three-point range. NJCU was 3-of-18 from deep (16.7 percent), and Newark just 1-of-11 (9.1 percent).
NJCU returns to action on Saturday, February 3 at 6 p.m. when it hosts Rutgers University-Camden in an NJAC game. The Raiders host Kean University that night at 5:30 p.m.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
Newspaper Box Score Rutgers-Newark vs New Jersey City University 01/31/07 6 p.m. at Jersey City, NJ (John J. Moore AFC) At Jersey City, NJ (John J. Moore AFC) RUTGERS-NEWARK 50, NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY 48 RUTGERS-NEWARK (14-6, 7-2 NJAC) Sabrina Sanchez 5-15 3-4 14; Olabimpe Fageyinbo 4-7 3-5 11; Eni Fageyinbo 1-5 7-10 9; Nerlande Nicolas 2-6 2-4 6; Youngor Kehleay 2-4 0-0 4; Stephanie Ross 2-10 0-1 4; Courtney Vacca 1-2 0-0 2; Indhira Cabrera 0-0 0-0 0; Toni Roselli 0-2 0-0 0; Trina Whitehead 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 17-53 15-24 50. NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY (7-12, 2-7 NJAC) Latrese McNair 4-13 4-6 12; Carolina Garcia 6-11 0-0 12; Arnese Goodman 1-6 5-6 8; Bernice Amadeo 2-8 0-0 6; Tiffany Boyd 3-5 0-1 6; Trisha Sanon 1-2 0-1 2; Michelle Vasquez 1-1 0-0 2; Jerica Hayes 0-1 0-0 0; Natashia Clackley 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-49 9-14 48. Rutgers-Newark................ 28 22 - 50 New Jersey City University.... 16 32 - 48 3-point goals--Rutgers-Newark 1-11 (Sabrina Sanchez 1-6; Nerlande Nicolas 0-2; Youngor Kehleay 0-2; Toni Roselli 0-1), New Jersey City University 3-18 (Bernice Amadeo 2-6; Arnese Goodman 1-4; Tiffany Boyd 0-1; Jerica Hayes 0-1; Carolina Garcia 0-2; Latrese McNair 0-4). Fouled out--Rutgers-Newark-None, New Jersey City University-None. Rebounds--Rutgers-Newark 42 (Olabimpe Fageyinbo 8), New Jersey City University 33 (Arnese Goodman 8). Assists--Rutgers-Newark 10 (Nerlande Nicolas 4), New Jersey City University 12 (Latrese McNair 5). Total fouls--Rutgers-Newark 9, New Jersey City University 17. Technical fouls--Rutgers-Newark-None, New Jersey City University-None. A-297 Rutgers-Newark leads all-time series, 31-20. With the win, Newark clinches both its third consecutive NJAC playoff berth and third straight winning season.