Game Notes (PDF)


HIGHLIGHTS:
•   NJIT is 1-1 against the Patriot League this season with a home win against Army (12/11) and a road loss at Lafayette (1/2).
•   Although, the Highlanders are just 3-17 all-time against PL opponents in their Division-I era (since 2006-07), they've gone 3-2 over their last five contests the past two seasons.
•   NJIT and Colgate have five common opponents – and have had the same outcomes in all five contests. Both boast home wins against New Hampshire and Army while both were defeated by Providence, Lafayette and St. Francis Brooklyn.
•   Take out four games against BIG EAST competition and four against non-Division-I opponents, and NJIT is 7-7 – with 10 games determined by five or fewer points and six contests in the balance until the final buzzer.
•   NJIT is looking for its second road, non-conference* win of the season – which would a first for the Highlanders since their first year in the D-I era, when they had wins at Manhattan and at Longwood in 2006-07.
•   NJIT leads the GWC in many key categories: scoring offense (71.2 ppg) and defense (65.4 ppg), FG percentage defense (.379), rebounding margin (+3.7) and blocked shots (5.5 bpg).
•   The Highlanders also rank 12^th in the nation in rebounding (40.8 rpg), 18^th in blocked shots, 20^th in FG percentage defense and 27^th in steals (8.9 spg).


NEWARK, NJ -- The Highlanders will look to rebound from a Great West loss at Houston Baptist when they step into the Patriot League for a non-conference bout against Colgate University on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, N.Y.

The two teams tangoed for the first time last season, when the Raiders edged the Highlanders, 76-73, on Feb. 1 in Newark. The victory snapped Colgate's 11-game road losing streak while halting the Highlanders' six-game home winning streak.

In that meeting, NJIT nearly erased an 11-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation. The Highlanders trimmed the deficit to 72-71 on a three-pointer by senior G Chris Flores with 2:50 left, but the home team was unable to seize the lead.

Colgate shot a blazing 56.2 percent from the floor and was led with a team-high 15 points by senior Mike Venezia – 12 of which came in the second half. Flores finished with a game-high 17 points.

This time around, the Raiders (9-14, 3-4) will play host having won their last two home games and three of their last four overall. The Highlanders (11-11, 3-1) failed to tie their pair of season-high, three-game winning streaks with their 66-57 loss to the Huskies on Saturday.

Although NJIT has managed just a 2-7 record away from Fleisher Athletic Center, three of these seven losses have been by just one possession – including a 96-94, triple-overtime heart-breaker in their prior road affair at New Orleans (Jan. 21).

Through 22 games, the Highlanders are sitting at their third-highest win total in their seven seasons since playing a Division-I schedule. NJIT finished with 15 wins in each of its past two seasons – a mark the Highlanders can surpass if they win five of what is a minimum of seven remaining games, pending their effort in the conference tournament.

Chris Flores, who earned a share of the GWC Player of the Week on Monday, continues to lead the league in scoring at 17.6 ppg. In fact, he's averaging 21.4 ppg over his past seven games -- which included a 32-point performance (on 11-for-11 shooting) against Fisher College last Wednesday.

The preseason GWC Player of the Year selection also paces the conference in steals (2.4 spg), which ranks 17^th in the nation, while listing sixth in the GWC in assists (2.7 apg).

Senior F Ryan Woods, a preseason All-GWC Second-Team selection, is fourth in the league in scoring at 14.3 ppg. The Staten Island native tops the GWC in three-pointers made per game (3.0), which ranks 20^th in the nation, and is second in three-point marksmanship (.401).

Senior PJ Miller, who leads the team and is third in the GWC at 3.8 assists per game, has been picked up his scoring pace. After scoring 13 points just three times in his first three seasons (83 games), the native of Fort Washington, Md., has registered at least 13 points in seven of his last 10 games – including a career-high at New Orleans on Jan. 21.

With significant injuries in the frontcourt, sophomore F Daquan Holiday has stepped up with major contributions -- averaging 6.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 1.9 bpg over his last 14 affairs after starting just 4.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg in his first eight games.

Although talented freshman F Terrence Smith remained out for his 12^th consecutive game on Saturday, junior F Quentin Bastian has logged 20 minutes combined in the last two games after missing nine straight with an ankle injury.

According to the up-to-date 2013 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings, NJIT has an RPI of 278 while Colgate is at 248.


COLGATE TOTAL

Colgate wraps up its non-conference schedule with NJIT after a strong performance its last time out – a 63-45 home win over Holy Cross on Saturday. With just a two-point halftime lead, the Raiders exploded to outscore the Crusaders, 35-19, in the second half for the rout.

At 3-4 in the Patriot League, Colgate is off to its best start in conference play since also starting 3-4 during 2007-08 – a season in which it traveled all the way to the PL Championship game before falling to American, 52-46.

The Raiders are led by junior Murphy Burnatowski, who sat out last season following a transfer from University of Maine. The Ontario native is leading the team at 17.3 ppg – a figure that ranks second in the PL behind Bucknell's Mike Muscala (19.0 ppg) and 68^th in the nation. Burnatowski, a 2010 America East All-Rookie Team selection, also leads the team in steals (1.2 spg) and is second in rebounding (5.4 rpg).

Colgate has no other players averaging in double figures, but its second-leading scorer, junior Pat Moore (9.8 ppg), went for 14 points on an efficient 6-for-8 shooting against NJIT last season.

Sophomore Luke Roh is both the team's leading rebounder (6.4 rpg) and assist man (3.3 apg) while contributing 5.3 ppg. The 6-foot-4 guard is coming off a career-high 14 rebounds against Holy Cross.

As a team, Colgate is in the middle of the pack in the Patriot League in most major statistical categories. However, the Raiders rank last among the eight rivals in turnover margin (-3.7).

Interestingly, the teams have five common opponents this season – and have had the same outcomes in all five contests. Both boast home wins against New Hampshire and Army while both were defeated by Providence, Lafayette and St. Francis Brooklyn. The only major difference is that the Highlanders lost to the Terriers at home (89-87) while the Raiders dropped that one in Brooklyn (73-61).

NJIT did play Providence (64-63) and Lafayette (83-66) closer than did the Raiders (79-45 and 69-40, respectively).


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 p.m.


Write-up courtesy of Matt Provence