NJCU Rallies Past Kean in Men's Hoops, 59-56

UNION, N.J. (1/12/08) - Freshman guard Keith Williams (Jersey City, N.J.) scored a game-high 20 points, however the Kean University men's basketball team could not hold off New Jersey City University in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon.

NJCU sophomore guard Josh Lopez (Jersey City, N.J.) scored all eight of his points in the final four minutes of the game as the Gothic Knights.  With Kean (5-9, 1-2 NJAC) leading 53-39 with 5:56 left in the game, Lopez knocked down a pair of three pointers and his jumper with 79 seconds remaining tied the game at 56-56, as the Gothic Knights (10-4, 3-0 NJAC) closed the game on a 20-3 run to win their 14^th straight regular season NJAC contest dating back to last season. 

With the game tied at 56 apiece, the Cougars missed on their opportunity to regain the lead, as NJCU freshman forward Jefferson Mwango (Cherry Hill, N.J.) controlled the defensive rebound with less than a minute remaining.  Mwango then rebounded his own missed layup and converted the putback with 27 ticks left to give the Gothic Knights the 58-56 edge. 

The Cougars had a pair of chances to tie the game in the final seconds, however a turnover and missed three pointer gave NJCU their 10^th win of the season.

In the opening half, Kean erased an early five point deficit, using a 22-2 run to lead by as many as 15 points (29-14), before taking a 31-24 lead into halftime.  Williams (pictured left) led the way with 16 points on the strength of hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor, including both of his attempts from long range.  For the Gothic Knights, senior forward Aaron Desir (Hillside, N.J.) had eight points.

For the game, freshman forward Jonathon Jones (Linden, N.J.) nearly had his first career double-double, finishing with 15 points and a career-best nine boards.  Jones, who hit all six of his attempts from the floor, added four blocks and four steals, while freshman forward Akinwande Oshodi (Florence, N.J.) had seven points, five blocks and two steals before fouling out.

In his second game back after missing eight games with an injury, senior guard Lamar Wright (Absegami, N.J.) (pictured right) had 11 points, five rebounds and five steals off the bench. 

The Gothic Knights were without the services of leading scorer Dana John (Hillside, N.J.) and his 20.1 points per game after suffering an injury in the NJCU road victory at Ramapo College earlier this week. 

In his place, junior guard Kevin Tucker (Jersey City, N.J.) and Desir each stepped up and scored 11 points apiece, with Tucker adding six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.

NJCU held a 51-32 rebounding edge, including a 22-5 advantage on the offensive glass, while the Cougars recorded 13 assists on the team's 20 field goals made.

Both teams return to NJAC divisional action on Wednesday, January 16, at 8 p.m., as the Cougars host The College of New Jersey in a NJAC South Division match-up.  NJCU hosts Rutgers-Newark in a NJAC North Division contest.