Box Score

NEWARK, NJ -- Senior G Chris Flores scored 17 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, as NJIT held off South Carolina State University, 72-63, at Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark. Senior G PJ Miller also contributed a Division I program-tying eight assists as the Highlanders never trailed in avenging a 77-74 road loss six days earlier to the Bulldogs on Nov. 18.

At 3-2, NJIT is at its best record through five games in the program's D-I era, which started in the 2006-07 season. The Highlanders also earned their first win against a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opponent and a victory against a sixth different Division I conference in program history. Meanwhile, SC State dropped its second straight game to fall to 3-3.

Miller also added nine points and posted a career-high five steals for the second consecutive game. He originally handed out eight helpers vs. North Dakota on Feb. 8, 2010 to match the mark set by Andrew Engel versus Lafayette College on Dec. 4, 2006.   The Fort Washington, Md., native -- who is averaging 10.3 ppg in his last four affairs -- had seven assists vs. Eastern Nazarene on Nov. 13. 

Senior C Sean McCarthy (six points) and freshman F Terrence Smith (eight points) shared the team lead with eight rebounds. Senior F Ryan Woods and G Ky Howard joined Flores in double digits with 10 points apiece. Flores entered the day leading the Great West Conference in scoring at 20.0 ppg -- a mark that improved to 20.8 ppg following Saturday's victory.

The Highlanders, who led for all but a total of 31 seconds of the game (they had early 2-2 and 4-4 ties), seized control of the lead for good during a 13-0 run in the first half. With a 10-8 lead at 13:03, a three-pointer by Flores started the run which allowed NJIT to surge ahead 23-8 until the 7:34 mark of the first half.

With his team down 34-20 at the half, junior F Matthew Hezekiah scored the first eight overall points of the half as well as the Bulldogs first 12 points of the session. SC State's 12-3 run out of the break was capped by a Hezekiah jumper that pulled the Bulldogs to within 37-32 with 13:38 remaining in the game.

But over the next 5:02, the Highlanders went on a 16-2 run to give them a game-high, 19-point lead at 53-34 that would seal the Bulldogs' fate. SC State pulled back to within nine points on three later occasions, but could pull no closer.

Senior G Khalif Toombs, who had a career-high 30 points in the previous meeting in Orangeburg, netted 15 of his team-high 20 points in the second half. Hezekiah finished with 18 points and a team-leading eight rebounds.

After shooting just 32.1 percent in the first half, the Bulldogs drained at a 58.6-percent clip to finish at 45.6 percent for the game. Meanwhile, the Highlanders shot 42.6 percent (23-54) for the game and 38.9 percent (38.9) from beyond the arc.

Once again, NJIT was able to dominate the glass in out-rebounding the Bulldogs, 40-28 -- a figure that includes a 16-8 edge in offensive rebounds. For the second straight contest, junior F Quentin Bastian led the way with five offensive boards.

“Quentin probably had the two biggest rebounds of the game, grabbing those offensive rebounds when South Carolina State was making a run,” Head Coach Jim Engles said. “He's coming along really well. It's a bit of a transition for anyone coming from JUCO. Plus Terrence [Smith] has been steady, grabbing nearly eight rebounds a game. We lost a lot of rebounds with Isaiah [Wilkerson's graduation] and these guys have definitely filled the void.”

After finishing two rebounds shy of Providence (43-41) in the opener, the Highlanders have now out-rebounded their opponents in each of the last four games -- by a convincing margin of 7.3 per game. Last season, NJIT finished with a -1.2 rebounding margin.

Howard, who left the New Hampshire game with a knee injury, returned with a strong performance Saturday. The Philadelphia native accrued his 10 points on 3-4 shooting (2-3 from beyond the arc) while adding six rebounds, two assists and a steal in 16 minutes. He is now averaging 7.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg in his last four contests.

“Ky is starting to get comfortable in his roll. He really handles the ball well and does everything we ask him to do,” Engles said. “He stepped up and made some big shots today. He rebounds, he defends, he scores. He's been terrific for us.”

NJIT has now won back-to-back Division I games (outside of the GWC) for the third time in program history. The Highlanders had victories at Fairleigh Dickinson (2/1/11) and versus Longwood (2/5/11) during the 2010-11 season after winning the first two games of their D-I era at Manhattan (11/11/06) and versus Rider (11/14/06) in 2006-07.

The Highlanders also started 2-2 in their first year of the era (2006-07) as well as last season (2011-12) before dropping Game 5 in both campaigns.

Dating back to last season, NJIT has now won five games in a row at Fleisher Athletic Center. The Highlanders will next play the finale of a three-game homestand against Division III Lydon State (0-2) on Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Newark.


Write-up Courtesy of Matt Provence