Game Notes (PDF)


HIGHLIGHTS:
•   At 15-11, NJIT is four games above .500 for the first time in the program's Division-I era and for the first time since ending a D-II season at 18-11 in 2002-03. Prior to this year, they only been two games above .500 once (after the first two games of the era in the 2006-07).
•   At 15-11, NJIT has clinched its first winning season since its D-I transition (2006-07).
•   With a win, NJIT will clinch the Great West Conference regular-season title -- a first in the D-I era.
•   With a win, NJIT will set a D-I single-season record for wins in a season with 16.
•   NJIT is on its longest winning streak of the season at four games – the Highlanders' longest since winning four straight 2/25/12-3/9/12 (a span which included two GWC Tournament games). The only longer win streak in NJIT's D-I history was a program-record six-gamer, 2/1/11-2/19/11.
•   Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has an overall record of 43-33 (.566).
•   NJIT leads the GWC in many key categories: scoring offense (71.3 ppg) and defense (64.3 ppg), FG percentage defense (.379; 11th in NCAA), 3PT FG percentage (.379; 31st in NCAA), rebounding margin (+3.9) and blocked shots (5.2 bpg; 24th in NCAA)... also 11th in the nation in rebounding (40.1 rpg).


NEWARK, NJ – Two piping hot teams will square off at Fleisher Athletic Center when first-place NJIT gets a home rematch against Houston Baptist 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. The NJIT women kick-off with a conference battle against Chicago State beginning at 2 p.m.

The Highlanders are riding a season-high, four-game winning streak and will clinch their first-ever, Great West Conference regular-season title with a victory.

Meanwhile, the Huskies – the only team in the GWC to have defeated the Highlanders -- have won eight consecutive contests, including a 66-57 victory over NJIT on Feb. 2 at Sharp Gym. The winning streak is HBU's longest over the last five seasons (since they returned to Division-I competition) and since a nine-game string during the 2006-07 campaign (Jan. 20-Feb. 19).

A win for NJIT (15-11, 5-1) will also give the Highlanders their largest win total in their Division-I era and since the D-II squad went 18-11 in 2002-03. A win for the Huskies (12-14, 3-3) will keep them alive in the GWC race and provide HBU its first 13-win season since posting a 13-15 record in 2007-08.

In the first meeting, senior Art Bernardi recorded a double-double and a game-high 22 points to lead HBU to its first conference win of the season.

Perhaps more than Bernardi's scoring touch on offense, the story of that game may have been HBU's team defense. The Huskies held the Highlanders to just 35.5 percent (18-for-51) shooting and 18.8 percent (3-for-16) from downtown. In addition, they forced 20 NJIT turnovers – the Highlanders' second-largest total of the season -- which led to a 21-10 edge for the home team in points off of turnovers.

The Highlanders went up by a game-high seven points, 21-14, with 4:07 to go in the first half. However, NJIT totaled just two field goals and three total points over the next 10:41 as the game changed complexion.

With the score tied, 33-33, with 11:41 remaining, freshman Caleb Crayton scored six straight points to start a 9-2 HBU run that put the Huskies up by seven points and a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

This time around, the game will be played in Newark – where the Highlanders have won four straight and have gone 10-3 this season.

HBU is just 3-10 on the road this season – but the Huskies have won three straight games away from Sharp Gym after starting 0-10. The wins have come at UMKC (Jan. 22), at New Orleans (Feb. 9) and at conference-rival UTPA (Feb. 16).  

Including the GWC tournament, NJIT has won eight of its last 10 conference games.

Both teams' most recent victory was recorded against New Orleans.

The Highlanders took care of the Privateers (8-18) last Saturday, using a 25-6 run in the final 10:13 of the first half to roll to an 84-64 win – their largest margin of victory over a D-I opponent this season. NJIT shot 50.0 percent (28-for-56) while domination UNO on the glass (39-30) and in points in the paint (38-12) to avenge a heart-wrenching, 96-94 loss in triple overtime at Lakefront Arena on Jan. 21.

Senior F Ryan Woods scored a game-high 23 points on 7-for-13 shooting (5-for-7 from downtown) while senior G Chris Flores added 21 points and six rebounds and senior G PJ Miller tied his career high with 15 points. Sophomore F Odera Nweke logged career-highs and game-highs in rebounds (11) and blocks (4) while contributing five points.

Freshman G Ky Howard modestly flirted with a triple-double, recording nine points, eight rebounds and a game-high tying seven assists.

The Huskies handled the Privateers, 65-52, in Houston on Monday. Freshman F Dauson Womack sparked HBU off the bench, posting his third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds

Senior forward Art Bernardi scored all 14 of his points in the second half and also grabbed eight rebounds and a pair of blocks while freshman G Rob Lewis added 12 points for his fourth-straight game in double figures.

Again, the Huskies defense played a large role in a victory – holding the Privateers to 34.0 percent (18-for-54) from the floor and only 10.0 percent (1-for-10) from behind the arc. HBU also forced UNO into 21 turnovers.

Flores leads the GWC in scoring at 17.3 ppg, which ranks 70th in the nation among 1816 qualifiers. The preseason GWC Player of the Year selection also leads the conference in steals at 2.3 spg, which ranks 24th in the nation. A native of Dorchester, Mass., Flores finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six steals in the first meeting with the Huskies.

Woods, a preseason All-GWC Second-Team selection, is tied for second in the league in scoring at 14.7 ppg. The Staten Island native tops the GWC in three-pointers made per game (3.1), which ranks 12th in the nation, and is second in three-point marksmanship (.422), placing 26th nationally. He has already set NJIT's D-I single-season record for 3PT made (81) passing Chris Flores (62; 2011-12).

Miller, who leads the GWC in assists-to-turnover ratio (+1.4) and is third at 3.7 assists per game, has really 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 nine of his last 14 games – including tying his career-high (15) last time out.

According to the up-to-date 2013 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings, NJIT has an RPI of 242 while Houston Baptist is at 321. The Highlanders have moved up to 164 in Basketball State's rankings and 223 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI).


HBU BY THE POUND

The Huskies' season-high, eight-game winning streak started after HBU lost eight straight games from Dec. 22 to Jan. 19. In fact, after starting 3-1 through their first four contests, the Huskies dropped five in a row and 13 of 14 before sparking a 180-degree turn with a 63-61 win over UMKC in Kansas City on Jan 22.

Not to mention that the turnaround has been without their second-leading scorer, sophomore G Tyler Russell, who tore his ACL on Jan. 8 and is out for the season. In addition, it has come without Marcus Davis, HBU's leading returning scorer and a preseason First-Team selection, who is no longer a member of the team.

Senior forward Art Bernardi leads the team in scoring (14.7 ppg) and is tied for second in the GWC with Woods. The Brazilian also sits third in both field-goal percentage (.471) and rebounding (6.6 rpg).

HBU is getting terrific performance from three freshmen. F Dauson Womack is coming off his third double-double of the year (15 points, 12 rebounds) and is averaging 4.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg. G Rob Lewis has scored 10+ points in his last four games and is up to 6.7 ppg. G Caleb Crayton is averaging 6.6 ppg and 4.2 rpg.

This could be the last meeting between the two programs, as the Huskies are Southland Conference bound beginning with the 2013-14 season.


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