Box Score 

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Keyed by seven points from junior guard Joseph Ellis (Newark, N.J./Newark Science), William Paterson (10-1, 2-0 NJAC) used an 18-7 game-ending run to defeat host New Jersey City (3-6, 1-2 NJAC) 62-52 in New Jersey Athletic Conference action Jan. 7.

Trailing 44-43 with 5:11 to play, the Pioneers regained the advantage after a pair of Shaun Canty (Englewood, N.J./Paramus Catholic) free throws, the start of a 7-0 burst that included a Courtney Nelson (Newark, N.J./Bloomfield Tech) three-pointer and an Ellis jumper. Following a Gothic Knight free throw, Ellis drained a trey for a 54-46 edge with 2:06 to play, but two more shots from the charity stripe pulled NJCU back to within six (54-48, 2:02). Bobby Dunn's (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) tip-in and two Ellis free throws helped make it a 10-point lead (58-48) and put the game away with 51 seconds remaining.

After staking a 30-24 halftime edge, William Paterson led by as many as seven early in the second half (35-28, 14:40), but an 11-4 New Jersey City run tied the score at 39-39 with 8:40 to play.

Nelson led the Pioneers with 16 points, while Ellis had 12 tallies and senior forward Jordan Fowler (East Orange, N.J./Montclair) contributed 11 points and five rebounds. Freshman Robert Whetham (North Haledon, N.J./Passaic Valley) collected a team-best seven rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench in the victory, the eighth straight for William Paterson.

Rashawn Smalls paced the Gothic Knights with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Josh Lopez added 10 tallies.

William Paterson will return to action Saturday, Jan. 10, when the Pioneers play at No. 13 Richard Stockton in a re-match of the 2008 NJAC Tournament title game at 4:00 p.m.