NJCU Gothic Knights

PITMAN, NJ…New Jersey City University junior point guard JOSH LOPEZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday after posting a career week between January 26 and February 1, averaging 20.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game, with historic assist and point productions in different games. The honor is for week 11 of the 2008-09 season. Lopez was also named to the PrestoSports/MBWA Division I, II, III Men's Honor Roll for his efforts.

He becomes the second different NJCU player to be named NJAC Player of the Week this season; freshman small forward RASHAWN SMALLS (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) earned the award in week nine on January 19.

In all, it is the ninth time in 11 weeks this year an NJCU player has received a weekly conference award. Smalls is also a six-time NJAC Rookie of the Week while freshman center TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) was a one-time Rookie of the Week. For Lopez, it was the second time in his three-year career he has been honored by the NJAC; he was Rookie of the Week on December 4, 2006.

Last week, Lopez tallied 60 points and 18 assists in a 2-1 week of road action while shooting 18-of-46 from the field (.391) and 12-of-31 from three-point distance (.387). He had an exceptional 3.0 assist/turnover ratio for the week.

In NJCU's 92-88 double overtime win at Rutgers-Newark on January 28, Lopez scored a career-high 36 points. Lopez, in his first year as a starting point guard, after two years as a key reserve, had the highest scoring output by an NJCU point-guard since retired coaching legend CHARLES BROWN netted 40 points as a senior player against Montclair State University on December 15, 1964. Tied for the 10^th known highest scoring total in the 76-year history of the program, it was the first time any NJCU player has exceeded 35 in a game since Samar Battle had 37 at Montclair on February 21, 2004. He shot 10-of-17 overall in the game (.588) and was 6-of-9 (.667) from three-point range.

Among the more significant shots he hit in the game came with 1:12 left when Lopez, with the shot clock winding down, sailed through the air to the left of the lane, drew a foul and threw up a floater that fell through, before sinking a free throw to convert a three-point play and make it 70-66 with 1:12 left. With 4:02 left in the second OT, Lopez drilled a three from the left wing to give NJCU the lead for good before he iced the game with three free throws.

In an 85-77 win at John Jay College on January 26, Lopez became the first player since 2002 to record at least 11 assists in a game, notching his first career double-double with 15 points (5-15 FG; 3-8 3FG) and 11 assists in 34 minutes. He became the first NJCU player with double figures in assists since Mark Washington had 10 against William Paterson University on February 26, 2004, and his 11 assists were the most by an NJCU player since Rafi Hargrove dished 12 against Montclair State on February 13, 2002. In a 75-65 loss at Rowan University on January 31, he posted nine points and five assists.