2011-12 Men's Basketball Schedule
 
NEWARK, NJ—The NJIT men's basketball schedule includes three games against teams from the powerful Big East Conference, including a first-time game at Georgetown in December, Highlanders coach Jim Engles announced.
 
The Highlanders, 15-15 overall in 2010-11, their second season as a full member of NCAA Division I, again will face the two New Jersey-based members of the Big East, taking on Seton Hall in a game at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark on December 6 and a trip down the Turnpike for a game at Rutgers on December 22.
 
The first-ever game vs. Georgetown, one of the famed programs in the history of college basketball, is set for Saturday, December 3 at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington, DC. The rich tradition at Georgetown includes the 1984 National Championship, four other Final Four appearances, 27 NCAA Tournament berths and 16 Big East championships. Last year the Hoyas finished 21-11.
 
Another feature of the non-conference schedule will be a first-time game against the University of Massachusetts, with the Highlanders visiting UMass on November 17 in the third game of the season. Other first-time opponents on this year's slate of games are: Cal State Bakersfield, a Division I Independent that will host NJIT on January 10 and then come to Newark for a return game on February 22; and Patriot League member Colgate, which will visit the Highlanders on February 1.
 
NJIT continues what has become a tradition, opening the season against Manhattan, which has been the opening foe for the Highlanders since they began Division I competition at the start of the 2006-07 season. This year, as in that first season, NJIT will visit Manhattan. The opener is scheduled for November 12 at 2 pm in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.
 
The rest of the non-conference schedule includes familiar opponents such as defending Northeast Conference champion and 2011 NCAA Tournament participant Long Island at LIU on December 30. Also back on the schedule are two other NEC teams, St. Francis (NY), which will come to Newark on November 26, and Fairleigh Dickinson, which will visit on December 28.
 
The Highlanders will tackle two Patriot League opponents, visiting Army on November 30 and hosting Lafayette on January 2.
 
NJIT will also renew acquaintances with Division I Independent Longwood, which preceded NJIT into Division I by one year and has been a frequent opponent in many sports since 2006-07. The Highlanders will visit Longwood on January 7 and the Lancers will come to NJIT on February 25.
 
The 2011-12 season will be the third for the Great West Conference, and NJIT, which was 9-3 and sole holder of second place in the GWC last year, will play 10 regular season conference games, taking on the other five Great West teams once at home and once on the road.
 
Conference play begins on January 19 with a home game against Houston Baptist and concludes with another home game on March 3 against Chicago State (Senior Day). The Highlanders will play those teams on the road, as well as two games apiece against North Dakota (2011 GWC Tournament champ), Texas-Pan American, and Utah Valley (2010-11 GWC regular season champ).
 
The Great West Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 8 to 10 at Chicago State.