Jersey City, N.J. – Stockton University (5-4) led by 21 points with 14:36 remaining in the game but could not fend off a furious rally by New Jersey City (7-1) and fell 79-77 in the NJAC championship game on a three-pointer at the buzzer.
 
Stockton finished as the NJAC Tournament runner-up for the second straight year. The game marked the second time this season that NJCU edged the Ospreys on a shot at the buzzer, with both coming on the Gothic Knights' home court.
 
In his final college game, senior Tariq Baker (Brooklyn, NY/St. Anthony's (NJ)) tied his career high with 20 points. Baker went 4-8 from three-point range. DJ Campbell (Vineland/Vineland) contributed 19 points and a season-high seven rebounds.
 
Kadian Dawkins (Eastampton/Rancocas Valley) also tied his career high with 14 points and handed out four assists. Kyion Flanders (Wildwood/Wildwood) tossed in 14 points and dished a career-best seven assists while committing none of Stockton's 23 turnovers.
 
After falling behind 11-5 early, Stockton took control of the game with a commanding 29-4 run over the next seven minutes. When Baker capped the onslaught with his third three-pointer of the half, the lead was 34-15. The Ospreys led by at least 12 points for the last seven minutes of the period on the way to a 45-31 advantage at the break.
 
The Ospreys shot 8-16 (50%) from three-point range in the half, led by Campbell at 3-4 and Baker going 3-5. Stockton also dominated the glass 26-16 and outscored NJCU 12-0 on second-chance points. Campbell led the offense with 15 points followed by Baker and Dawkins with 13 and 10 points respectively.
 
Flanders heated up early in the second half, scoring seven counters during a 10-0 spurt that gave the Ospreys their biggest lead at 57-36 with 16:11 to go. Since the early six-point deficit, Stockton had outscored NJCU 52-25 over an 18-minute span.
 
The margin was still 21 at 61-40 after a layup by Baker with 14:36 on the clock and 20 at 64-44 following a layup by Dawkins with 11:44 remaining. From there, the game spiraled downward for the Ospreys, who put up just 13 points the rest of the way.
 
After NJCU closed the gap to six, two free throws by Flanders and a layup by Dawkins briefly pushed the Stockton lead back to double digits at 72-62 with 4:05 left. Undaunted, the Gothic Knights continued their charge and pulled within 77-76 with 22 seconds on the clock.
 
Stockton could have extended its edge at the 13-second mark, but two missed free throws gave NJCU possession with a chance to take its first lead since the score was 11-10.
 
After several passes, Kayton Darley found himself open just left of the top of the key and drained the game-winner to relegate Stockton to NJAC runner-up status for the second straight year with a 79-77 setback.
 
Stockton was seeking its 10th NJAC championship in school history and first since 2016. The Ospreys also were bidding to win the conference title as a visiting team for the first time. All of the program's nine NJAC crowns were won on Stockton's home court (four in I-Wing Gym, five in The Sports Center).