New Jersey City University

BOX SCORE

HOBOKEN, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...A much-larger Stevens Institute of Technology squad built a 35-18 lead against the guard-oriented Gothic Knights and behind double-digit performances from 5-foot-11 senior forward Brittany Fuller (East Rockaway, NY/East Rockaway) and 6-foot-1 junior center Victoria O’Connor (Westwood, NJ/Saddle River Day School) defeated New Jersey City University, 71-47, in the opening game of the Stevens Tip-Off Tournament on Friday night at Canavan Arena.

Stevens, which received 16 points in the D3hoops.com preseason national poll­—equivalent to a No. 42 national ranking—improves to 2-0 overall this season and 2-0 versus New Jersey Athletic Conference competition. The Ducks upset #21 The College of New Jersey in Ewing, 48-46, on November 15. The Gothic Knights drop to 0-2. NJCU leads the all-time series, which opened in 2002, 3-2, but the Ducks have the won the last two encounters.

 

In the battle of Hudson County Division III opponents, Stevens shot 58.3 percent in the first half on 14-of-24 and finished at 51.0 percent for the evening (25-49). NJCU shot 5-of-30 in the opening stanza (.167) and could never catch up, making 17-of-62 overall (.274).

 

Junior transfer guard MIESHA COOKE (Paterson, NJ/Sports Business Academy) led the Knights with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting, making 2-of-5 from three-point distance, to go with three steals in 35 minutes of action.

 

Sophomore forward EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) and rookie point guard LATIFAH JOHNSON (Newark, NJ/University) each had 10 points; Cunningham added four rebounds and three steals. Stevens out-rebounded the Knights, 48-30, and no NJCU player collected more than three boards.

 

Fuller finished with a game-high 28 points, shooting 10-of-12 from the floor, 4-of-5 from three-point range and 4-of-4 at the line, adding nine rebounds (eight defensive). O’Connor tallied a game-best 12 rebounds (nine defensive), collected 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, and chipped in three assists.

 

Sophomore 5-foot-11 forward Jillian Barrett (Philadelphia, PA/Central) totaled nine points (4-10) and sophomore forward Taryn Barnes (Avenel, NJ/Union Catholic) added eight points. Sophomore guard Dawn Garcia (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Ford) finished with five assists.

 

With the game tied, 11-11 with 13:26 left, and SIT leading 14-13 with 11:34 remaining, the Ducks pieced together a 12-0 run over a span of 7:39 to claim a 26-13 margin to stake control of the scoreboard. Fuller had five during the run.

 

NJCU would draw within eight, 26-18, but the Ducks scored the final nine points of the first half and two in the second period for a 37-18 cushion. SIT led by as many as 29 (59-30) before prevailing by 24.

 

NJCU will face Wesleyan University in the consolation game of the tournament on Saturday, November 21 at 6 p.m. after losing to Babson College, 66-37. NJCU has never faced Wesleyan in women’s basketball.