NJIT Game Notes (PDF)


NEWARK, NJ -- NJIT (1-2) will look to snap their two-game skid when they return home to host the Colgate Raiders (1-1) of the Patriot League on Saturday afternoon. Opening tip from Fleisher Athletic Center is slated for 4 p.m.
 
The Highlanders dropped an 84-83 overtime heartbreaker at Lafayette on Thursday, while Colgate picked up a 67-63 win at Cornell last time out.
 
The game will be shown live on ESPN3 (all remaining NJIT home basketball games can be seen on ESPN3).
 
A simple way to find ESPN3 is on NJIT's official athletics website, www.njithighlanders.com. Near the middle of the home page NJIT TV section, click Upcoming Events for a list of scheduled NJIT contests. After finding the event, click the camera icon to the right of the event listing. That brings you to an ESPN3 portal where you can access the desired program.
 
Matt Provence, voice of the Highlanders, is on play-by-play with expert analysis from Dave Calloway.
 
Prior to the game, NJIT will unveil a 2016 CIT Semifinal banner. The Highlanders made their second straight semifinal appearance in the CIT last season and picked up victories over Army, Boston University and UT-Arlington before falling to Columbia.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
 
Saturday will mark the third all-time meeting between NJIT and Colgate after the schools split the first two encounters.
 
However, the two teams have not played since the Highlanders picked up a 77-58 win in Hamilton on Feb. 6, 2013. Senior forward Ryan Woods paced NJIT with a career-high 26 points in that contest.
 
Colgate won the only previous meeting in Newark, a 76-73 decision on Feb. 1, 2012 at Fleisher Athletic Center.
 
With the loss to Lafayette, the Highlanders are now 10-23 all-time against the Patriot League, but have won four of their last five against PL foes dating back to last season.
 
OPENING THE 'GATE
 
Colgate evened up their record at 1-1 on the young season with a 67-63 victory over Ivy League foe Cornell on Wednesday night at Newman Arena in Ithaca.
 
Junior Sean O'Brien led the Raiders with 18 points while freshman Will Rayman chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Sophomores Francisco Amiel and Malcolm Regisford each added 10 points of their own off the bench.
 
Regisford was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team last season.
 
Head coach Matt Langel's squad opened the year with an 83-55 loss to 2016 Final Four participant Syracuse.
 
Coming off a 13-17 (9-9 PL) campaign in 2015-16, the Raiders were picked to finish sixth in the Patriot League preseason poll.
 
Langel is in his sixth season as head coach of the Raiders after spending seven seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Penn (2004-06), and Temple (2006-2011). During his tenure as an assistant, the Moorestown, N.J., native was a part of five NCAA Tournament teams.
 
In his playing days, Langel helped lead the Quakers to two Ivy League titles and ranks in the top 10 in school history in three-pointers made in a single game (2^nd), three-pointers made in a season (8^th) and career three-pointers made (4^th).
 
Sophomore David Krmpotich's father, David, was a silver medalist in men's rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.
 
All-time, the Raiders have won two Patriot League titles and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in both 1995 and 1996.
 
NJIT OUTLOOK
 
The Highlanders led for most of the night before coming up just short in the overtime loss to Lafayette on Thursday night.
 
Damon Lynn hit 5-of-11 from beyond the arc en route to a team-high 24 points and is averaging 24.0 ppg thus far in 2016-17. The senior co-captain also sank all seven of his free throw attempts and is a perfect 13-of-13 from the charity stripe this season.
 
NJIT also received strong offensive performances from senior Tim Coleman (15 points, eight rebounds, five assists), sophomore Abdul Lewis (13 points, 12 rebounds) and freshman Anthony Tarke (eight points, nine rebounds).
 
Rebounding was a strong suit in the game as NJIT outrebounded the Leopards, 45-40 and pulled down 12 offensive rebounds.
 
The Highlanders shot 10-of-25 (40.0%) from beyond the arc as five different players hit three-pointers. 


Write-up courtesy of Joe Fitzhenry