2018-19 NJAC Men's Basketball Championship Central | Box Score

JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Rowan University men's basketball team won the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship with an 80-77 victory at New Jersey City University on Friday night.
 
Guard DaRon Curry made a layup at the 55 second mark, which tied the score at 77 for the Profs.  With 12 seconds left, guard Matt Green nailed the winning three-pointer.  The Gothic Knights attempted a three with one second on the clock.
 
Rowan (21-6) receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.  It is the Profs' 11 NJAC title and first since 1999.  New Jersey City (20-7) will have to wait until Monday to see if it receives an at-large bid to the national tournament.  
 
Guard Nick DePersia led Rowan with 19 points and five three-pointers.  Guard/forward Ramon Wright contributed with 15 points and nine defensive boards.  Forward Austin Kearney totaled 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench.  
 
Guard Rob DePersia added 12 points and dished five assists. Curry ended the game with 11 points, all in the second half.  Center Diante Bah grabbed six boards
 
For NJCU, guard James Richardson scored 19 points.  Forward Sam Toney and guard Denzel Banks followed with 13 and 12 points respectively while forward Yuri Brutus had 10.  Forward James Julius collected eight rebounds.     
 
Rowan was ahead 38-34 to start the second half.  Curry's layup at 17:28 made the score 47-38.  Richardson cut the deficit to six (48-42) with a basket (14:30).  The Profs had an eight point lead (52-44) at 8:20 after Kearney scored with a layup.  NJCU followed with a 13-1 run to go ahead 57-53 with 11:14 remaining.  Richardson contributed with six points in the surge.
 
Curry's baskets tied the score at 57 (10:34) and 59 (10:03).  The Gothic Knights were up 63-59 with 9:45 left.  Wright hit a jumper (8:53) and Rob DePersia (8:20) had a three to take back the lead 64-63.  NJCU had a three-pointer by guard Shaquan Worthy to go back on top 66-64 at 7:56.  The Gothic Knights held on until the Profs scored seven straight points for the victory. Kearney's layup pulled Rowan within two (77-75) at 1:22 before Curry's tying basket and Green's winning three-pointer.