Link: Box Score
New Haven, Conn. – Despite a 20-point performance from senior forward Jaqhawn Walters (Hartford, Conn.), the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team dropped an 81-80 decision to No. 19 New Jersey City Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (5-3) | No. 19 New Jersey City (9-0)
SCORE: New Jersey City 81 | Albertus Magnus 80
HOW IT HAPPENED
Albertus Magnus led for the majority of the game and by as many as 20 early in the second half, while the Gothic Knights dealt with foul trouble.
The Falcons controlled the flow in the first half, despite the Gothic Knights cutting the score to within one, 26-25, at the 8:39 mark. With the clock winding down, New Jersey City was unable to make a run and would trail by 10, 43-33, heading into halftime.
Alberuts Magnus led 67-47 with 11:46 left in the second after a dunk from Mason Jones (Manchester, N.J.), but shorly after the Gothic Knights answered back with a 15-2 run to cut the deficit to seven, 69-62, with 7:15 remaining.
Albertus Magnus pushed its lead back up to nine, 73-64, after a pair of made free throws from Amir Maddred (Camden, N.J.) before a short spurt by the visitors brought the score to within three, 76-73, with 2:09 left to play. Lavonne Green scored five-straight points for the Gothic Knights to tie the game for the second time, 78-78, before netting the game-winning three at the buzzer.
NOTEWORTHY
- The Falcons close out the month of December 3-2.
- The all-time series between Albertus Magnus and New Jersey City is now tied at 2-2.
- Four of the Falcons' five starters scored in double figures.
- Albertus Magnus is 3-1 at home entering the second half of the season.
- Despite the loss, Albertus Magnus show a season-high 62.7% from the floor and 45.5 % from behind the arc.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Albertus Magnus – 62.7% (field goal), 45.5% (three-point) and 47.8% (free throw)
- New Jersey City – 44.9% (field goal), 32.3% (three-point) and 60.0% (free throw)
- Lavone Green led the Gothic Knights offensively with a season-high 34 points on 12-of-24 shooting from the field and 4-of-9 shooting from three point range.
- Junior Mason Jones (Manchester, N.J.) was the next Falcon to finish in double-figures with 19 points, while senior Amir Maddred (Camden, N.J.) and junior Ryan Pittman (Stratford, Conn.) rounded out the scorers with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
- New Jersey City edged the Falcons in rebounds, 34-32, but the hosts dominated in the paint, 51-37.
- Today's game saw only two ties and one lead change.
- Maddred was one rebound shy of recording his first double-double of the season.
- Pittman paced the Falcons' offense with a team-high six assists while Walters and Tyreek Perkins (New Haven, Conn.) posted four a piece.
- Pittman and Jones paced the Falcons in the first half as the duo scored 10 and 14 points, respectively.
- Nelson Goodwater III also finished the game in double-digits for the Gothic Knights with 11 points.
UP NEXT
Albertus Magnus opens 2018 with a home GNAC tilt against Suffolk University on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. New Jersey City closes out 2017 portion of the season at the Captains Shootout hosted by Christopher Newport University.