March Madness is coming to Jersey early! NJCU sinks Division III rival Rowan with a wild finish
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March madness comes early! NJCU sinks Division III rival Rowan by overcoming a four-point deficit with five seconds remaining by hitting a 3-pointer, stealing a pass and making a half-court PRAYER just as the buzzer rings.
A Division III college basketball game in New Jersey has made national headlines for one of the wildest finishes in recent memory.
Four points behind No. 23 Rowan with five seconds remaining, New Jersey City University cruised to a 73-71 victory thanks to a pair of miracle shots and a well-timed steal.
The unforgettable sequence began with a pass inside the NJCU to junior forward Ryan Savoy, who promptly hit a 3-pointer from the corner.
Rowan quickly got the ball under his own basket as the NJCU Gothic Knights rushed into their full court press. That’s when NJCU’s Pharoh Allah ran to the baseline from half court, stretched out his arms and deflected Rowan’s rushing pass.
Somehow, the deflected pass found its way into the hands of NJCU’s Jason Battle, whose 45-foot sentence bowed as time expired, sending the Gothic Knights and the few fans present into hysterics.
The unforgettable sequence began with a pass inside the NJCU to junior forward Ryan Savoy, who promptly launched a 3-pointer from the corner.
The sequence caused immediate chaos in the Jersey City gym, with teammates and a handful of fans turning out to battle.
But perhaps no one was more hysterical than Tim Moore, the NJCU broadcaster, who narrated the action:
‘Within limits, it’s good!’ Moore explained as the pitch of his voice rose dramatically. Ryan Savoy narrows it down to one! And NJCU has it! Float! He is good! He is good! Jason Battle, at the doorbell! NJCU wins! They stun No. 23 Rowan here at the buzzer!
The sequence caused immediate pandemonium in the Jersey City gym, with teammates and a handful of fans in attendance for Battle.
The Rowan Profs fell to 19-4 with the loss and 15-1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, while NJCU improved to 11-12 and 6-10 in the conference.
ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter already highlighted the remarkable finish to Wednesday’s game.
‘Cubes!’ Van Pelt explained as he called the replay. ‘NJCU wins.’
NJCU doesn’t usually do much national news.
The school declared a financial emergency last June, seeking $10 million in aid from the state government. Governor Phil Murphy responded by calling for an investigation into NJCU’s finances after it went from a reported surplus of $108 million in 2013 to a deficit of $67 million.