In their New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opener, the New Jersey City University (NJCU) men’s basketball team secured a 66–64 win over Ramapo College at the Bill Bradley Athletic Center. The result brings NJCU’s record to 3–2 overall and 1–0 in conference play, while Ramapo drops to 1–5 and 0–1 in the NJAC.
NJCU finished the game shooting nearly 40 percent from the field and about 74 percent from the free-throw line. They made three of their thirteen attempts from three-point range. Ramapo posted similar numbers with a slightly higher field goal percentage but struggled from beyond the arc.
Junior Brince Shelton, making his debut for NJCU, led his team with 18 points on six-for-ten shooting. He also contributed three rebounds and three steals coming off the bench. Senior Bakhi Rogers-Robinson added 13 points and seven rebounds, while junior Donovan Crawford scored 11 points and collected eight rebounds.
For Ramapo, Nahum Lewis led all scorers with 20 points along with seven rebounds. Elijah Barlow contributed 15 points and was active on both ends of the court. Tyrell Murchison and Enoch Hutchinson each had ten points, with Murchison adding eight rebounds and three assists.
The Gothic Knights held advantages in second-chance points, bench scoring, and fast-break opportunities. However, Ramapo turned NJCU turnovers into more points than vice versa and outscored NJCU in the paint.
Ramapo established an early lead in the first half before NJCU closed the gap before halftime. Rogers-Robinson hit a jumper just before halftime to reduce Ramapo’s lead to four points at intermission.
After halftime, NJCU started strong but faced resistance as Ramapo maintained its advantage until Shelton tied the game midway through the second half. Crawford then gave NJCU its first lead since early in the contest. The Gothic Knights built their largest lead late in regulation but saw it shrink after a series of scores by Ramapo’s Barlow and Hutchinson.
Shelton extended NJCU’s lead at the free-throw line with less than thirty seconds remaining. In final moments, Ramapo attempted two shots but could not convert as NJCU’s defense preserved their victory.
The Gothic Knights will next host Rutgers–Newark at home on Wednesday, December 3rd at John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
For more information about New Jersey City University Athletics, visit https://www.njcugothicknights.com/.
