Senior guard SAMAR BATTLE (East Orange, NJ/Clifford Scott) scored 13 of his team-high 23 points in the first half, and sophomore forward MARK WASHINGTON (East Orange, NJ/West Side) added 16 while delivering a career-high 10 assists as New Jersey City University routed Farmingdale State University, 88-58, in a non-conference men’s game at the Athletic & Fitness Center. The contest was the 600th game in the career of NJCU Head Coach Charles Brown (415-185).
The Gothic Knights won their second straight game to improve to 11-3 on the season and 4-0 all-time in this series which began during the 2000-01 season. Farmingdale State falls to 4-7 overall.
The win for NJCU marks the 73rd time in school history it has defeated an opponent by at least 30 points. Also, NJCU improves to 19-3 all-time when Battle scored 20 or more (7-1 this season).
Battle shot 11-of-17 from the floor, with five offensive rebounds and four steals in 26 minutes. Washington shot 6-of-10, adding five rebounds and four steals.
Also for NJCU, junior forward JAVIER RODRIGUEZ (Rahway, NJ/Perth Amboy) notched 11 on 4-of-6 shooting. Sophomore point guard ALEX MIRABEL (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) tacked on eight in 21 minutes. Freshman center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) rejected three shots, while tallying six points and three assists. All 15 players on the roster saw considerable time, and 10 scored.
The Rams were led by sophomore forward Kenny McMillian (Bronx, NY/All Hallows) who poured in game highs of 33 points and 12 rebounds (10 offensive). He scored 19 of FSU’s 26 total points in the second half. McMillian shot 13-of-23 from the field and 7-of-10 at the line. He also delivered four assists and three steals, but coughed up six turnovers.
No other Rams player reached double figures. Junior guard Willie Samuels (Hempstead, NY/Hempstead) chipped in nine points but committed seven turnovers in coming the closest.
NJCU was remarkably consistent, shooting .529 in the first half (18-of-34) and .528 in the second period (19-of-36), ending at .529 for the game on 37-of-70. Farmingdale shot .415 from the field for the game (22-of-53). NJCU held a 37-32 edge on the glass.
In a game with 57 combined turnovers, the Rams committed 35. NJCU responded by outscoring the opponent 44-14 in points off turnovers with 23 steals. The Knights also held a 54-36 advantage in points in the paint.
NJCU opened the game with a 13-2 lead before Farmingdale responded against the Knights’ second and third teams to gain a brief 23-21 margin with 7:00 on the board. NJCU ended the half on a 10-2 run to turn a 33-30 game into a 43-32 halftime score.
In the second half, NJCU outscored the visitors, 45-26. The Knights owned a 60-46 lead with 10:19 remaining. However, NJCU’s swarming full-court press defense with its second and third teams on the court forced turnover after turnover which translated into a 12-0 run over 1:45 and a 72-46, 26-point lead with 8:34 left before the defense was changed. NJCU twice led by 30, including the final.
NJCU will return to action on Saturday, January 17 at 2pm when it faces Richard Stockton College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference inter-divisional showdown of the only two schools still unbeaten in league play.
-WWW.NJCU.EDU/GOKNIGHTS-
Newspaper Box Score Farmingdale State University vs New Jersey City U. 01/14/04 7 pm at Jersey City, NJ (Athletic & Fitness Ctr) At Jersey City, NJ (Athletic & Fitness Ctr) NEW JERSEY CITY U. 88, FARMINGDALE STATE UNIVERSITY 58 FARMINGDALE STATE UNIVERSITY (4-7) McMillian, Kenny 13-23 7-10 33; Samuels, Willie 3-9 2-2 9; Nevith, Eric 3-7 2-2 8; Campbell, Shawn 1-4 0-0 3; Heckstall, Mike 1-2 0-0 2; Adams, Travis 1-1 0-0 2; Cooper, Kenny 0-3 1-4 1; Williams, Jimmy 0-0 0-0 0; Spence, Leonard 0-2 0-0 0; Antoine, John 0-1 0-0 0; Kerrigan, Mike 0-0 0-0 0; Brady, Gerald 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 12-18 58. NEW JERSEY CITY U. (11-3) Samar Battle 11-17 0-1 23; Mark Washington 6-10 2-5 16; Javier Rodriguez 4-6 1-2 11; Alex Mirabel 3-4 2-2 8; Abraham Williams 2-5 2-2 6; Kareem Collins 3-9 0-0 6; Christopher Kates 2-4 1-1 6; Lamar Jones 2-2 0-0 4; Rodney Ligon 2-5 0-0 4; Harold Williams 2-2 0-2 4; Bo Agnan 0-2 0-0 0; Arshen Hunter 0-0 0-0 0; Keith Middleton 0-0 0-0 0; Jose Ramirez 0-0 0-1 0; Mike Barry 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 37-70 8-16 88. Farmingdale State University.. 32 26 - 58 New Jersey City U............. 43 45 - 88 3-point goals-Farmingdale State University 2-5 (Campbell, Shawn 1-2; Samuels, Willie 1-3), New Jersey City U. 6-15 (Javier Rodriguez 2-2; Mark Washington 2-4; Christopher Kates 1-2; Samar Battle 1-4; Rodney Ligon 0-2; Kareem Collins 0-1). Fouled out--Farmingdale State University-None, New Jersey City U.-None. Rebounds-Farmingdale State University 37 (McMillian, Kenny 12), New Jersey City U. 32 (Mark Washington 5; Samar Battle 5). Assists-Farmingdale State University 14 (Cooper, Kenny 4; Kerrigan, Mike 4; McMillian, Kenny 4), New Jersey City U. 24 (Mark Washington 10). Total fouls-Farmingdale State University 21, New Jersey City U. 17. A-181 NJCU leads the all-time series, 4-0. NJCU 19-3 all-time when Samar Battle scores 20+ in a game. NJCU wins a game by 30 or more points for the 73rd time in school history.