News Release

JERSEY CITY, NJ — NJCU STILL PERFECT IN THE NJAC AFTER DEFEATING TCNJ, 73-68

Senior guard SAMAR BATTLE (East Orange, NJ/Clifford Scott) scored 23 points, and sophomore forward MARK WASHINGTON (East Orange, NJ/West Side) added 20 more as NJCU rallied from a three-point deficit with 2:13 remaining and remained perfect in league play this season, defeating The College of New Jersey, 73-68, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men’s basketball game at the Athletic & Fitness Center.

NJCU wins its fifth consecutive game to improve to 14-3 on the season, and 5-0 in the NJAC. TCNJ entered having won six of seven, but fell to 9-6 (1-4 NJAC) with the loss. NJCU has won the last six meetings between the two schools and are 18-6 at home against the Lions since 1982. NJCU has also come out victorious in the last six home games against TCNJ.

NJCU improved to 21-3 all-time and 9-1 this season when Battle scored 20 in a game, as the All-America candidate hit 10-of-15 shots, and 3-of-6 from long range, with seven rebounds (six defensive) in 36 minutes. He had 14 of his 23 in the first stanza.

Washington made 6-of-13 shots to finish with 20, hitting 3-of-8 from three-point range, and 5-of-6 at the line. He added a game-high eight rebounds and four assists.
Junior forward JAVIER RODRIGUEZ (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) contributed 10 for NJCU on 3-of-8 shooting (2-of-6 3 FG). Freshman center ABRAHAM WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) tacked on seven points, seven boards (six defensive), and three blocks.

TCNJ was led in scoring by junior forward Derick Grant (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery), who tallied 16 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals, but shot just 6-of-17, including 1-of-8 from long range. Junior guard Mike Snyder (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) chipped in 13 (6-of-15, 1-of-5 3 FG), while sophomore forward Scott Findlay (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) tallied 12 points (6-of-15), seven rebounds (five defensive), and four assists.
Junior guard Kyle Burke (Maywood, NJ/Hackensack) finished with 11 (3-of-7).

TCNJ led by as many as seven early in the opening period and maintained a three-point, 37-34 edge at the half. In a second half that featured six ties and eight lead changes, NJCU gained a 55-50 advantage with 8:50 left on a Rodriguez three. The Lions battled back, hit their free throws, and tied the game at 56-56. It remained tied at 62, before Grant made a lay-up with 4:33 left, and sophomore forward Dan DeSerio (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) followed with a jumper for a 66-62 edge at 3:52.

However, NJCU ended the game on an 11-2 run. The Knights closed to 66-65 with 2:38 left on a Battle trey, but still trailed by three when Grant converted two throws with 2:13 remaining for a 68-65 advantage,

Washington made two free throws with 1:52 on the board to make it 68-67, before Rodriguez drove the lane and hit a 10-foot mid-air jumper as NJCU regained the lead for good at 69-68 with 58 seconds left. Senior point guard MIKE BARRY (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and freshman forward RODNEY LIGON (Newark, NJ/University) drilled a pair of free throws with 28 and four seconds remaining, respectively for the 73-68 final.

In an even shooting evening, NJCU hit .410 (25-of-61), while the Lions, who made .515 in the first half (17-of-33), dropped to .344 (11-of-32) in the second, and finished with a .431 percentage. The Lions made 9-of-11 free throws (.818), but struggled mightily from deep, making only 3-of-19 attempts (.158). NJCU also out-rebounded the visitors, 42-34, and owned a 17-4 advantage in second-chance points.

NJCU returns to action on Saturday, January 24 in an early 7pm start as the Gothic Knights host Rutgers-Newark in an NJAC home game. The doubleheader is part of Homecoming 2003-04.
-WWW.NJCU.EDU/GOKNIGHTS-

Newspaper Box Score
The College of New Jersey vs New Jersey City U.
01/21/04 8 pm at Jersey City, NJ (Athletic & Fitness Ctr)
At Jersey City, NJ (Athletic & Fitness Ctr)
NEW JERSEY CITY U. 73, THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY 68
THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY (9-6, 1-4 NJAC)
Derick Grant 6-17 3-4 16; Mike Snyder 6-15 0-0 13; Scott Findlay 6-15 0-0
12; Kyle Burke 3-7 4-4 11; Derek Brown 4-4 0-0 8; Dan DeSerio 2-3 0-1 4;
Jason Stallworth 1-2 2-2 4; Jody Crowley 0-2 0-0 0; Matt Diamond 0-0 0-0 0;
Bobby Henning 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 9-11 68.
NEW JERSEY CITY U. (14-3, 5-0 NJAC)
Samar Battle 10-15 0-2 23; Mark Washington 6-13 5-6 20; Javier Rodriguez 3-8
2-2 10; Abraham Williams 3-6 1-4 7; Kareem Collins 2-9 0-2 5; Rodney Ligon
1-5 2-3 4; Mike Barry 0-3 2-2 2; Harold Williams 0-0 2-2 2; Bo Agnan 0-1 0-0
0; Lamar Jones 0-0 0-0 0; Arshen Hunter 0-0 0-0 0; Christopher Kates 0-1 0-0
0. Totals 25-61 14-23 73.
The College of New Jersey.....   37   31  -   68
New Jersey City U.............   34   39  -   73
3-point goals-The College of New Jersey 3-19 (Kyle Burke 1-3; Mike Snyder
1-5; Derick Grant 1-8; Scott Findlay 0-3), New Jersey City U. 9-30 (Samar
Battle 3-6; Mark Washington 3-8; Javier Rodriguez 2-6; Kareem Collins 1-6;
Bo Agnan 0-1; Christopher Kates 0-1; Mike Barry 0-1; Rodney Ligon 0-1).
Fouled out--The College of New Jersey-None, New Jersey City U.-None.
Rebounds-The College of New Jersey 34 (Dan DeSerio 7; Scott Findlay 7), New
Jersey City U. 42 (Mark Washington 8). Assists-The College of New Jersey 14
(Derick Grant 4; Scott Findlay 4), New Jersey City U. 16 (Mark Washington 4;
Kareem Collins 4). Total fouls-The College of New Jersey 17, New Jersey City
U. 16. A-516
NJCU wins fifth straight game to remain unbeaten in NJAC play.
NJCU has won six straight meetings in the series.
NJCU improves to 21-3 all-time when Samar Battle scores 20+.