JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The semifinal round of the 2026 ECAC DIII Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, #5 NJCU upsetting top-seeded Pitt-Greensburg 76-73 in the final game of the day. NJCU now sits at 16-12 on the season and will take on #2 Keene State in next weekend’s championship final.
 
The Gothic Knights controlled the opening tip, with Bakhi Rogers-Robinson knocking down a triple for the first bucket of the game. NJCU began the game on 15-7 run, but the final six and a half minutes of the half saw the two teams go back and forth before the Bobcats carried a six-point lead into the locker room at the intermission.
 
The trend of swapping buckets continued well into the second half, with NJCU going in front for good behind a jumper from Arterio Williams with 0:42 to play. The Bobcats got two more looks at the basket but were ultimately forced to play the foul game down the stretch, and the Gothic Knights escaped with an upset of the tournament’s top team.
 
Pitt-Greensburg’s Matthew Marinchak led all scorers with 22 points, while teammate Jackson Byer went for 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to round out the double-double. For NJCU, Brince Shelton’s 19 points led the team, while Williams and Rogers-Robinson went for 12 and 10 respectively.
 
The Gothic Knights claimed a slim 38-37 edge in the battle of the glass while also dominating in turnovers, forcing 23 and committing 15. The Bobcats shot 83% from the free throw line against NJCU’s 58%, and Pitt-Greensburg connect on 11 attempts from behind the arc.
 
Stay tuned to ECACSports.com for further updates throughout the tournament.