JERSEY CITY, N.J. (2/5/21) –  Jailen Jamison finished with 19 points, five assists and five steals as the Kean University men's basketball team dropped their season opener to New Jersey City University, 99-64 on Friday evening.

Keshon Smith totaled 15 points for the Gothic Knights who improve to 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. JD Daniels finished with 14 points for the Cougars who fall to 0-1 overall and 0-1 in the NJAC.      

Daniels scored seven first half points, all from the foul line, as the Cougars made only four field goals in an opening stanza that saw the Gothic Knights open the contest fairly quickly. NJCU started the game on a 9-0 run, before Jamison scored the Cougars first basket with 15:49 remaining. Jersey City extended on their lead with a 14-3 run that eventually ballooned to 34 points (52-18) at halftime.

Despite trailing for the rest of the game, Kean nearly outscored NJCU, 47-44 in the second half. Jamison scored 17 of his 19 points as the Cougars shot 46.2% from the floor.

Jared Latane tallied eight points, while both Mario Gunn and Nate Lyles both collected six rebounds.

Head Coach David Turco and the Cougars will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 6th, hosting the Gothic Knights of New Jersey City University at 1:00 p.m.