Game Highlights (Video)
Postgame Comments from Kennedy & the 3 Captains (Video)
Damon Lynn Sets NJIT Career D-I Scoring Record (Video)
Watch Lynn-to-Ukawuba Alley-Oop (Video)
Popular James McMillon Scores First Career Points (Video)
NEWARK, NJ -- NJIT opened the
Brian Kennedy era and the 2016-17 season in style on Friday night with a 100-38 win over Sarah Lawrence College (NY) at Fleisher Athletic Center.
Friday marks the first time that the Highlanders have scored 100 or more points since a 110-46 win over Wheelock College (MA) on February 6, 2014. The victory improves NJIT to 25-0 all-time against non-Division I opponents and 19-0 against Division III foes. In fact, it marks the first time since the school's Division I debut on November 11, 2006 that the Highlanders have won a season opener.
Among the many highlights from the game were the players being able to provide Kennedy a win in his first game as a head coach after nine seasons as an NCAA assistant.
"We're really excited for him," said senior co-captain Rob Ukawuba, who finished with eight points, four on thunderous dunks. "He recruited all of us together and we're very comfortable with him. So we' re glad to start the season off this way."
Senior co-captain
Tim Coleman added, "He gave us an opportunity when no one else would. He went to bat for me. To be able to play for him and follow his lead is a good feeling."
At the 18:00 mark of the first half, senior co-captain
Damon Lynn sank a three-pointer from NBA range to become the school's all-time leading scorer at the Division I level. With his 14 points on the night, Lynn now has 1,734 points in his career. The previous record was held by Chris Flores ('13) with 1,724 points. Lynn is also now just 294 points away from becoming the all-time program leader since inception in 1922 (2,028 by Clearance Pierce '96).
"It felt good to do it especially with these guys here [fellow captains Coleman and Ukawuba] who came in with me freshman year," said Lynn, deflecting the individual element of the historic accomplishment. "We've been here four years and now we've got to finish this story we've built."
The triple from Lynn opened up a 9-5 lead for the Highlanders at the time and kick-started a 48-19 run over the remainder of the first half that opened up a 54-24 lead for the hosts heading into the break.
On the night, Lynn connected on 5-of-8 field goal attempts and was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Lynn was one of three players in double figures for NJIT as freshman
Anthony Tarke and senior
Tim Coleman chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Tarke also brought down 10 rebounds to notch a double-double in his collegiate debut.
In fact, the four freshmen on the roster combined 34 points and 25 rebounds in an impressive collective debut.
"The freshmen, they're great -- their enthusiasm, their and energy," Lynn said. "This is a first for them. So them coming in and giving us our edge back and make us excited to play the game.and help us extremely in our chances to win a conference championship."
All 13 players that saw the floor for
Brian Kennedy's squad scored at least two points and the Highlanders shot 48.2% from the field. Junior
James McMillon hit a layup in the final minute to notch his first career points.
Junior
Chris Jenkins and freshmen
Ron Alston,
Taj Price had nine points apiece for NJIT while sophomore
Abdul Lewis contributed with six points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Alston, Price and Lewis were all making their debuts for the team.
As a team, the Highlanders collected 62 rebounds and outrebounded the visiting Gryphons, 62-37.
NJIT held the Gryphons to just 22.7% shooting from the floor as
Mat Gerak (10 points) and
Parker Hagmaier (7 points) led the way offensively for the visitors.
The Highlanders closed the game on a 10-0 run and held Sarah Lawrence without a point over the final 3:50 of the game.
NJIT will be back in action on Monday night when they head west to take on the Utah State Aggies of the Mountain West Conference. Opening tip from Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah is set for 9:00 p.m. eastern time.
Write-up courtesy of Joe Fitzhenry
#NewarksTeam
