Women’s Basketball Hangs on for 68-66 Win at Ramapo
MAHWAH, NJ — The New Jersey City University women’s basketball team earned a hard-fought victory over New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rivals Ramapo College on the streets on Wednesday night, Feb. 1. NJCU and the Roadrunners went back and forth all night, but the Gothic Knights eventually clinched the two-point win, 68-66, thanks in part to strong play from the juniors up front Jimmirah Johnson (Prospect Park, NJ/International) and guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, New Jersey/Secaucus).
Ramapo (14-7. 8-6 NJAC) held a slim two-point lead after the first two quarters of the game, but a big second half on the boards for Johnson — coupled with their career-high 19 points — helped Jersey City (10th). -10, 10-4 NJAC) take back the lead and eventually cling to victory. Overall, Johnson led the green and gold with 14 rebounds (10 in the second half) to make the best game with two blocks. It was her second straight double-double and the seventh of her college career. Not to be outdone, Rodriguez again led all players with a game-high 23 points and has scored at least 20-of-15 points in a row (and in 17-of-19 this season).
In the first quarter, NJCU quickly jumped a five-point lead, but the Roadrunners responded with a 12-3 run of their own to take a 14-10 lead with 3:37 left with four points and the second up buys three at 17 -14. Looking to turn it around in the next quarter, Jersey City started hot on a 14-3 run – including 14 direct points after Ramapo opened the second with a three – to secure an 8-point, 28-20 lead with 4 :12 go to halfway. Rodriguez scored 10 of those points and NJCU appeared to be cruising again. Not to be overshadowed, Ramapo scored nine straight goals to take a one-point, 29-28 lead with 1:04 to go. After a couple of Johnson free throws, the Roadrunners gave up a three-pointer in the dying moments to go into the break with a two-point lead.
In the third quarter, teams traded leads several times before Ramapo finally took a four-point, 40-36 lead with 5:41 remaining by the fourth. Then, seven straight points turned the script for NJCU, putting the visitors by three ahead 43-40, with 4:17 in the third, including five points from Johnson before NJCU secured a narrow one-point lead (51st-5th). -). 50) into the final quarter.
An 8-0 run midway through the fourth helped Green and Gold extend his lead at 63-57 with 4-29 left to six and eventually seven after Johnson sunk two free throws with 2-58 remaining. However, the momentum shifted again and Ramapo notched three consecutive unanswered buckets to reduce the lead to just one, 67-66 with 1:07 to go. Neither team scored a field goal for the remainder of the game and with 11 seconds remaining, Rodriguez shared two free throws to make it 68-66. The Roadrunners had one last chance to equalize three seconds from time, but couldn’t follow up.
Highlights:
– Rodriguez added six team-best assists and four steals to her total, making the game stellar. She also had six rebounds.
– Head Guard Jada Camacho (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) rounded out NJCU’s double-digit scoring tally with 14 remaining with three boards and a block.
– junior forward Kyara Cowan (Maywood, NJ/Hackensack) scored a respectable seven points and nine rebounds over 20 minutes on the floor.
– The Gothic Knights had a 21-14 offensive rebound advantage, resulting in a 21-8 scoring differential in second chance points.
– Additionally, led by Johnson, NJCU outscored Ramapo 40-18 in the suit.
Next:
The Gothic Knights ended their short two-game slack with today’s win and will now look to back-to-back games away to Rutgers-Newark on Saturday afternoon, February 4th. Tippoff against the Scarlet Raiders is set for 4 p.m. as Jersey City looks for the win of the season.
