Box Score
NEWARK, NJ—Junior guard Jheryl Wilson led the way with a game-high 23 points for NJIT in a program Division I record-setting 66-37 men's basketball win over visiting Chicago State Saturday afternoon in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
Wilson, who tied the program Division I record with 27 points at Lehigh on January 2, had been up and down in the scoring column since. But he caught fire against Chicago State, scoring 15 points over the last 5:24 of the first half en route to his game-high 23 points.
Included in Wilson's first-half explosion was 3-for-3 shooting on three-pointers and he finished 5-for-8 on threes, as NJIT made a program Division I-record 10 three-point baskets. The Highlanders, who are in their fourth season of Division I competition, made nine threes in four previous games against DI foes.
NJIT's other double-figure scorer against Chicago State was sophomore Isaiah Wilkerson, who notched 17 points. Wilson and Wilkerson also paced the rebounding for the Highlanders, with 8 and 7, respectively.
Teddy Schickel, making his second start of the season, notched a career-best six assists to go with just one turnover in 27 minutes. Chris Flores made a game-high four steals for the Highlanders.
On the other end of the court, Chicago State's 37 points were the fewest allowed by NJIT against a Division I opponent. The previous defensive low for the Highlanders had been 51, which they achieved three times—twice in 2008-09 (a loss to Saint Peter's and a win against Bryant) and earlier this season in a 56-51 win against Wagner in late November.
Saturday's win for the Highlanders in their first-ever home game in the Great West Conference, ups their league record to 1-2. Chicago State is 0-4—all on the road, in conference play.
The Cougars' top scorer against NJIT was junior guard Christian Wall, who finished with 11 points. Carl Montgomery, one of the top inside players in the league, came in as CSU's top scorer, averaging 13.2 points per game, but he did not score against the Highlanders. He did, however, lead all rebounders with 12.
The game started slowly for both teams and Chicago State held a 7-4 lead before Teddy Schickel hit a three-pointer to pull NJIT even a full 7:10 into the contest.
The visitors reclaimed the lead for what would be the final time, 9-7, with 11:43 remaining in the half, but NJIT tied the score on a tip-in by Sean McCarthy.
The Highlanders went ahead 10-9 when Wilkerson made the second of two free throws with 8:46 left. Wilkerson's foul shot was a quiet beginning for a 31-7 NJIT run to haltime, as the Highlanders built a 40-16 lead at the break, paced by Wilson, who scored 15 points, and Wilkerson, who scored 11. Included in the outburst was 6-for-7 shooting from distance, including one from deep by Wilkerson just before the halftime buzzer.
The Highlanders extended their lead to as many as 35 points in the second half before finishing with the 29-point final bulge.
NJIT, which had played nine of its previous 10 games away from home, is 5-2 this season in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center after beating Chicago State.
The Chicago State game began a portion of the NJIT schedule that will find it playing a football-like one game a week, for the three weeks, all at home and all on Saturday.
Next up is a visit a visit from Utah Valley on January 30 at 4 pm as part of a doubleheader that begins with the NJIT women playing their UVU counterparts at 2 pm in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
The Wolverine men were picked second in the Great West Conference coaches' preseason poll and were previously the premier Division I Independent program since NJIT began playing at that level in 2006-07.
