STATEN ISLAND, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 8 seeded New Jersey City University led by two in the final minute before top-seeded College of Staten Island hit a go-ahead three and iced the game from the line after a missed Gothic Knight shot and late turnover as CSI survived NJCU, 79-74, in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Quarterfinals on March 5 at the CSI Sports & Recreation Center. The loss ends NJCU's 81st season of men's basketball at 14-13.
Staten Island (26-3), the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) regular season champions, improved to 14-0 at home this season and claimed its 18th straight home court victory overall but not before the Gothic Knights nearly became the first team to knock off the Dolphins in Staten Island this year. Only two other home wins for CSI were decided by a five-point margin or less.
NJCU, making its 20th appearance in the ECACs, 31st post-season appearance in 32 years and 38th all-time post-season tournament berth, lost to Staten Island for the first time in six post-season meetings.
Trailing by two with 1:49 to go, NJCU tied it on a layup by junior forward DREW MARLEY(Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) and after CSI's top player, senior guard Bloochy Magloire missed a three, NJCU went in front for only the third time in the period when sophomore shooting guardKHALID MUHAMMAD (Orange, NJ/Orange) converted a layup with 39 seconds left to make it a 74-72 margin.
But with the game on the line and Staten Island shooting just 2-of-15 from three-point range, Magloire buried a three from the right corner with 26 seconds left. Senior small forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) missed inside with 14 seconds left and was forced to foul CSI. Dolphins' senior guard Jonathan Chadwick-Myers sank both free throws to push the margin to 77-74.
After a timeout, NJCU had a chance to work for a game-tying shot but junior guard JUSTIN HARTE (Irvington, NJ/Irvington)threw a pass away with 2.1 seconds to play and Magloire iced the win with two foul shots.
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