NJIT Game Highlights (VIDEO)

Tarke's NJIT Play of the Game (VIDEO)


FORT MYERS, FL – Florida Gulf Coast (15-6, 4-1 ASUN) used a 14-3 run midway through the second half to pull away from NJIT (9-12, 1-4 ASUN) in an 84-71 win over the Highlanders on Saturday night at Alico Arena in Fort Myers.
 
The Highlanders trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half, but did not go away. A free throw by freshman Anthony Tarke at 13:26 whittled the deficit down to four points at 47-43 -- the closest NJIT would get to the Eagles. But 20 seconds later, FGCU's Christian Terrell drained a three-pointer to build the lead back up to three possessions.

Still upset-minded, junior guard Chris Jenkins scored on a layup to cut the lead back to five points at 50-45 with 12:46 to play.

However, the Eagles' Brandon Goodwin sank a layup of his own on the other end to kick-start the afore-mentioned 14-3 run for the hosts and NJIT didn't get closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
 
Sophomore center Abdul Lewis paced the Highlanders offensively with a career-high 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Lewis also collected nine rebounds and hit 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. Senior forward Tim Coleman added 13 points for head coach Brian Kennedy's squad and Jenkins chipped in with 11 off the bench while senior guard Rob Ukawuba contributed nine points and 11 rebounds.
 
Lewis broke his previous career-high of 20 points that had been set on Thursday at Stetson. Over his last two games, the Newark native is averaging 22.0 points per game along with 14.0 rebounds per affair.
 
NJIT's leading scorer, senior guard Damon Lynn (20.6 ppg), exited at the 15:15 mark of the first half due to injury and did not return. He entered the game as the NCAA's active leading Division-I career scorer (2,153 points) and three-point shooter (434 3FGM) -- and ranked fifth all-time in D-I history in three-pointers made.
 
Goodwin led four FGCU players in double figures with 21 points on 8-13 shooting. Sophomore guard Zach Johnson added 19 for the Eagles while Rayjon Tucker hit all five of his attempts from the floor en route to 16 points.
 
As a team, Florida Gulf Coast shot 53.3% (30-56) from the field and the Highlanders hit 23-of-53 (43.4%). NJIT hit 7-19 (36.8%) from beyond the arc and FGCU was 6-18 (33.3%).
 
The Eagles scored the first five points of the game and led by as many as 19 when Tucker hit a layup with 6:46 left in the opening stanza.
 
NJIT battled back and Jenkins buried a triple in the final minute to cut the lead to 11 at 41-30 heading into the locker room.
 
The three from Jenkins started an 18-9 run that brought the visitors within five with 12:46 remaining.
 
Each team brought down 31 rebounds on the night as Ukawuba led the Highlanders with his 11 rebounds, the second straight game with 10+ rebounds for the senior. Goodwin nabbed six boards to pace Florida Gulf Coast.
 
NJIT will close out this three-game road swing with a trip to face Kennesaw State on Wednesday night. Opening tip from the KSU Convocation Center is slated for 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN3. 


Write-up courtesy of Joe Fitzhenry