Game Notes (PDF)


HIGHLIGHTS:
•           In a very early battle for first place, the winner of Saturday's game will be the lone undefeated team in the Great West Conference (3-0) – as well as the only team in the GWC with a .500 record.
•           UTPA won the last meeting – a 75-67 home win on Feb. 16, 2012, that snapped the Highlanders' four-game winning streak in the series. The Broncs had won the first eight matchups overall and lead the all-time series, 9-4.
•           Going back to last season, NJIT has won three consecutive regular-season GWC games and five of six overall.
•           NJIT has lost its last two games – with both defeats not decided until the final buzzer. In fact, the Highlanders have won two buzzer-beaters while losing five games still in the balance as time expired.
•           Take out four games against BIG EAST competition and three against Division III opponents, and NJIT is 6-6 – with 10 games determined by five or fewer points.
•          NJIT leads the GWC in many key categories: scoring offense (70.4 ppg) and defense (65.9 ppg), FG percentage defense (.378), rebounding margin (+2.7), blocked shots (5.5 bpg) and turnover margin (+1.16).

NEWARK, NJ – The Highlanders will try to move on past a pair of gut-wrenching losses when they return to Great West Conference play by hosting Texas-Pan American on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m., but will take place 30 minutes after the women's game as the finale of a women's/men's doubleheader at Fleisher Athletic Center. The NJIT women kick-off with a conference battle against Utah Valley beginning at 2 p.m.

The contest marks an early battle for first place in the GWC, as both NJIT (9-10, 2-0) and UTPA (10-10, 2-0) have started conference play with two victories in as many tries. In fact, the Broncs have won three straight contests and eight of their previous 11 affairs.

Among the recent heart break for the Highlanders was a triple-overtime, 96-94 defeat at University of New Orleans on Monday – marking the fifth time this season NJIT lost a game in which it shot the ball with a chance to tie or win as the final buzzer sounded.

But several unusual factors lead to the Privateers comeback victory five days ago. With NJIT going ahead by three points in regulation, sophomore F Daquan Holiday was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim following a dunk with just 11 seconds remaining.

NJIT still figured to win as senior G Chris Flores blocked a 17-foot jumper by Lovell Cook at the buzzer. But the play was whistled and senior PJ Miller was called for a shooting foul as he came to help from the side. Cook hit one of two free throws to send the game into OT.

In the first OT, the Highlanders went up by four points, 77-73, with 18 seconds left in the session. That's when Cook had the amazing fortune of canning a 26-foot three-pointer off the backboard. Still, the Highlanders could have paved their way to a victory – but Miller connected on just one of two free-throw attempts with nine seconds remaining that allowed for UNO to tie the game on the long Cook jumper with two seconds remaining.

Eventually, with the game tied deep into the third OT, junior G Isaac Mack drained a step-back, 13-foot jumper from the left baseline with 2.6 seconds left in triple overtime to provide the game-winner. Mack, who was just 1-for-7 before knocking down the dagger, entered the game shooting just .310 and averaging 4.3 ppg.

The physically and mentally draining loss was compounded by the fact the Highlanders dropped their previous game at home to Penn, 54-53, on Jan. 17 – a game in which Miller just missed on an extended finger roll on a drive down the lane in the final seconds.

After never playing in a triple-overtime game since such outcomes were noted in 1998-99, NJIT has experienced a pair of 55-minute affairs in its last four games. 

Now, NJIT heads back into conference to host a team it's defeated in four of its last five tries. Head Coach Jim Engles' troops need a win to avoid tying their season-long skid at three games.

The Highlanders are led by senior G Chris Flores, who scored 22 points in the losing effort at New Orleans and is averaging 22.8 ppg in his last four affairs. The preseason GWC Player of the Year selection continues to pace the conference in both scoring (17.3 ppg) and steals (2.3 spg) while ranking sixth in assists (2.8 apg).

Senior F Ryan Woods, a preseason All-GWC Second-Team selection, scored a team-high and a D-I career-high 24 points in the Big Easy to move into second in the league in scoring (14.8 ppg). He tops the GWC in three-pointers made per game (3.2) and three-point marksmanship (.426). In fact, the Staten Island native has drained 19-for-37 (.514) from deep over his last four games.

Miller, who set a program record with nine assists on Jan. 12, ranks second in the GWC in both helpers (4.2 apg) and steals (1.9 spg). He registered a career-high 15 points against the Privateers.

With significant injuries in the frontcourt to both freshman F Terrence Smith (left foot) and junior F Quentin Bastian (left ankle) – both sidelined since mid-December – sophomore F Daquan Holiday has stepped up with major contributions. Holiday, who set a program record with 17 rebounds on Jan. 12, has averaged 6.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 2.3 bpg over his last 11 affairs.

According to the up-to-date 2013 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings, NJIT has an RPI of 276 while UTPA is at 323.


NATIONAL CONVENTION
In Division I rankings through Friday, Highlanders rank 22nd in the nation in FG percentage defense, 16th in blocks per game and 12th in rebounding (41.1 rpg)… Individually, senior F Ryan Woods ranks 14^th in the nation in three-pointers made per game and 31^st in three-point accuracy (.426). Senior G Chris Flores sits 29^th in the nation in steals per game (2.3) and 73^rd in points per game (17.3).

DYNAMIC DUO
Senior G Chris Flores (17.3 ppg) and senior F Ryan Woods (14.8) rank first and second in the GWC in scoring, respectively. Their combined average of 32.1 ppg is 4.7 ppg more than the next tandem – as UVU's Ben Aird (14.1) and Holton Hunsaker (13.3) total 27.4 ppg… In the brief four-year history of the GWC, no pair of teammates has finished with the top two scoring spots in the rankings. The highest two duos all-time have been HBU's Andrew Gonzalez (22.9) and Michael Moss (10.0), who combined for 32.9 ppg in 2010-11; and Gonzalez (18.0) and Mario Flaherty (13.8), who combined for 32.7 ppg in 2009-10… South Dakota's Charlie Westbrook (16.2) and Louie Krogman (14.8) were the only other tandem to average more than 30.0, amassing 31.0 ppg in 2010-11.


A BRONCS TALE:
 
The Broncs have won three straight games and, after starting 2-7, are 8-3 since Dec. 13. In fact, this is the latest in a season UTPA has been at .500 since 2007-08 -- when the WAC-bound program finished 18-13.
 
The Broncs have had a week to prepare for the Highlanders since defeating Utah Valley, 62-60, at Edinburg in its most recent game on Jan. 19. The win snapped the team's four-game losing streak against the Wolverines.
 
This contest featured 14 lead changes and stayed tight until Jason Johnson couldn't connect on a game-winning, half-court heave at the buzzer. The Wolverines played the game without the then-reigning GWC Player of the Week Alfonzo Hubbard, who was sidelined with an injury.
 
Senior F Ruben Cabrera, named GWC Player of the Week on Monday, led the Broncs with a season-high and game-high 19 points. Both senior G Aaron Urbanus and junior F Justin Leathers tallied 11 points to complete UTPA's double-digit scoring.
 
Preseason All-GWC First-Team selection Brandon Provost, who leads the team and ranks third in the league in scoring at 14.4 ppg, netted just seven points on 2-of-7 from the floor. The 6-3 senior guard has averaged just 10.0 ppg in his last four affairs since a DNP on Dec. 31 at Oregon State.
 
Still, Provost ranks second behind Woods on the GWC leaderboard in both three-pointers made per game (2.7) and three-point accuracy (.425).
 
Urbanus, a preseason Second-Teamer, is second on the team at 11.9 ppg – which ranks seventh in the GWC. He also sits third averaging 4.1 apg.
 
Leathers, a junior transfer, paces the team at 5.0 rpg while contributing 7.7 ppg.
 
The Broncs rank second in the GWC behind NJIT in both scoring offense (67.6) and defense (69.9). UTPA has also shot well, leading the circuit in three-point shooting (.382) and sitting second in FG percentage (.440). However, the team ranks second to last in FG percentage defense (.446) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (.363) and last in rebounding margin (-4.8).
 
 
Fans can follow all the action live on www.njithighlanders.com, which will carry a live video stream and webcast play-by-play and commentary from Matt Provence, as well as an in-game real-time stat feed. Coverage begins at 3:45 p.m. with tip-off set for 4:00 p.m.
 
 
Write-up courtesy of Matt Provence