Game Notes (PDF)


HIGHLIGHTS:
•           NJIT has dropped back-to-back contests for just the second time this season. The Highlanders have not lost three straight since a three-game skid, 2/6/12-2/22/12.
•           NJIT is 1-0 against the Patriot League with a home win against Army (12/11). Although, the Highlanders are just 3-16 all-time against PL opponents in their Division I era (since 2006-07), they've won three of their last four contests over the past two seasons.
•          With a win, NJIT will have its fourth win of the season against a non-conference Division I opponent – tying its program best from last season (wins over Army, Farleigh Dickinson, Lafayette, Longwood). This season, they've defeated New Hampshire (AEC), South Carolina State (MEAC) and Army (Patriot).
•          NJIT won six games before the New Year for the first time in its D-I era and for the first time overall since 2000-01, when the D-II Highlanders started 6-2 through Dec. 15 (and 7-4 through Dec. 30).
•           NJIT leads the GWC in many key categories: scoring offense (70.6 ppg) and defense (63.5 ppg), FG percentage defense (.364), three-point FG percentage offense (.374) and defense (.288), rebounding margin (+3.7), turnover margin (+1.6), blocks (6.0 bpg) and steals (9.0 spg).


NEWARK, N.J. – NJIT will bring in the New Year just across the state line, as the “ball will drop” next for the Highlanders in a road battle Wednesday at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Kirby Sports Center.

Having met five times over the past six seasons, the Highlanders and Leopards may have an “old acquaintance.”

But for the Highlanders (6-7), what they're hoping to be “forgot” is a season-high tying, two-game skid – which has dropped the team below .500 for just the second time this season (1-2 on Nov. 18).

For the Leopards, what they're hoping to be “forgot” is a 20-point loss in Newark exactly one year earlier – when they fell 78-58 on Jan. 2, 2012, after previously taking the first four games of the all-time series.

In that game, NJIT broke a 25-25 tie with a 9-0 run in the final 2:45 of the first-half and never looked back. The 20-point margin of victory was – at that time – the Highlanders largest ever against a Division I opponent in a non-conference game (they later defeated Longwood, 94-51, on Feb. 25).

The Highlanders connected on 13 three-pointers and set a new school Division I record for three-point accuracy, hitting 59.1 percent of their 22 tries. Five of the long-range jumpers were drained by Chris Flores, who finished with game-highs in points (23) and rebounds (11) for his second career double-double. The three-time Great West Conference Second-Team performer also had a share of the game-high in assists (6) with teammate PJ Miller.

Prior to the meeting last season, NJIT was coming off a game in which it nearly erased a 21-point, second-half deficit at Long Island (NEC) in an eventual 84-74 loss on Dec. 30, 2011. The Highlanders worked all the way back to within three points.

Fast forward exactly one year later. NJIT completely erased a 23-point, second-half deficit against St. Francis Brooklyn (NEC) in an eventual 89-87 loss on Dec. 30.

Down 82-59 with 7:18 remaining, the Highlanders went on a 19-0 spurt and a 28-5 run overall to tie the Terriers on a three-point play by Miller with just :26 to go.

However, senior Akeem Johnson drove through traffic down the left side of the lane and completed a layup with :05 remaining. The eventual game-winner snapped a Terriers' drought of 7:27 without a field goal to give St. Francis Brooklyn an 89-87 lead.

Following the bucket, Miller took the inbounds pass into the frontcourt and misfired on a game-winning, three-point attempt from straight away at 23-feet out. NJIT actually appeared to tie the game when freshman Ky Howard grabbed the rebound in mid-air and connected on a desperation layup attempt under the basket. Unfortunately for the Highlanders, what would have been a dramatic game-tying shot was waived off by the officials for being out of Howard's hands a split-second after the final buzzer.

For the second consecutive game, NJIT played with just an eight-man rotation as forwards Terrence Smith and Quentin Bastian remained out due to injury. In a balanced attack, all eight Highlanders scored at least six points – led by 19 from senior F Ryan Woods.

Flores continues to pace the GWC at 16.8 points per game. In fact, the preseason GWC Player of the Year is also leading the circuit with 2.0 steals per game while placing fifth at 2.8 assists per game.

Woods is second among Highlanders in both scoring (14.1 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg). The Staten Island native is averaging a conference-best 2.8 three-pointers per game, while sporting a second-ranked .409 percent from beyond the arc. He has also connected on 33 of 36 free-throw attempts to pace the GWC at .917 from the line.

Meanwhile, senior G PJ Miller leads the GWC in assists at 4.6 apg.

With the two significant injuries in the frontcourt, two sophomores have been able to successfully shoulder the load. Daquan Holiday, a William Allen (Pa.) high school standout, has averaged 6.4 ppg, 4.8 ppg, 2.2 bpg, 1.2 spg over his last five games. In fact, he also leads the GWC with 1.7 bpg despite averaging only 13.8 mpg.

Sophomore Odera Nweke, who started the season with a pair of DNPs, had a career performance against Villanova with career-highs in minutes (27), points (eight), rebounds (six) and steals (three). He followed that up with a new career-high with seven rebounds while contributing six points and two blocks. In his last three games, the Richmond, Texas, native is averaging 7.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.3 spg and 1.3 bpg.

In their last meeting in Easton, the Leopards outlasted the Highlanders, 72-56, on Dec. 8, 2010, at Kirby Sports Center. Jared Mintz scored 20 of his then career-high 28 points in the second half to cement the victory.

According to the up-to-date 2013 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings, NJIT has an RPI of 276 while Lafayette is at 279.


SPOT-LIGHT ON THE LEOPARDS

Whereas Lafayette has lost back-to-back games, these defeats have come at No. 9 Minnesota (75-50 on 12/22) and at perennial national power Stanford (65-59 on 12/29).

The Leopards have played well in Easton, winning four straight home games and going 5-2 overall at Kirby Sports Center. Other difficult matchups that have contributed to their 0-8 road record include bouts at Kentucky, Morehead State and Maryland.

Despite their challenging schedule to this point, the Leopards continue to thrive in three areas that are typically strengths of the team. Lafayette leads the Patriot League in steals (7.5 spg) while ranking third in both three-point field goal percentage (.372) and assists (14.4 apg).

However, the Leopards rank last in scoring defense (74.8) and field-goal percentage defense (.481).

Sophomore F Dan Trist – a 6-9 Australian – leads the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (4.3). He has made marked improvement in his second year after averaging just 5.7 ppg and 2.2 rpg in a foul-plagued freshman campaign.

Sharp-shooting sophomore G Seth Hinrichs is second on the team in both categories (14.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg) while connecting on 39.8 percent (35-88) of his three-point shots.

Senior point guard Tony Johnson is third on the team at 10.4 ppg while leading the PL in steals (1.9 spg) and ranking third in assists (4.8 apg).

Fran O'Hanlon is the most tenured head coach in the history of the conference. The two-time PL Coach of the Year was a former standout at Villanova, where he averaged 13.1 ppg and served as team co-captain for the 1969-70 Wildcats.

The two teams have had one common opponent this season in St. Francis Brooklyn, which also defeated Lafayette as a road team and by a 76-65 score in the season opener on Nov. 9.


Fans can follow all the action live on www.njithighlanders.com, which will carry a live webcast play-by-play and commentary from Matt Provence. Audio coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m.


Write-up courtesy of Matt Provence