Box Score

NJIT GAME HIGHLIGHTS (VIDEO)


HAMILTON, NY – Raiders' senior Sean O'Brien scored a season-high 21 points as Colgate University (4-6) held off NJIT (5-6), 87-76, at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, N.Y. on Tuesday.
 
None of his team-high total in points were more significant than his three on the "bank shot heard around the world" (well, at least in Hamilton) that completely turned the game one final time.
 
NJIT had taken its final lead of the night on a three-pointer by sophomore Anthony Tarke, giving the Highlanders a 69-67 edge with 4:54 left to play.
 
That's when O'Brien took a highly contested three-pointer that was noticeable wide right on the release. However, the ball caromed off the glass and banked in for a triple that game the Raiders a 70-69 advantage it would not relinquish.
 
It also kicked off a 10-0 run for the home team. Junior Francisco Amiel then stole the ball after the inbounds pass and launched a successful triple for a quick six points in a span of 15 seconds.
 
By the time the Highlanders snapped the run on a trey by junior Diandre Wilson, Colgate held a 77-72 lead with 1:22 left to play. NJIT never got closer than within five points.
 
The Colgate win snapped the Raiders' three-game losing streak while handing the Highlanders their third-consecutive loss.
 
NJIT, which entered the contest having won six of its prior seven affairs against Patriot League opponents, is now even in the all-time series with Colgate University, 2-2.
 
Despite the fortuitous, game-changing three-pointer, Colgate shot tremendously well in improving to a perfect 4-0 at home. The Raiders nailed 30-of-50 (60.0%) field-goal attempts and 6-of-16 (37.5%) three-point tries in the victory. They were also an impressive 21-of-25 (84.0%) from the free-throw line.
 
NJIT finished at 28-for-63 (44.4%) and 9-for-23 (39.1%) from deep.
 
The Highlanders held a rebounding advantage of 31-28 that led to an 11-0 edge in second-chance points. Yet, they could not overcome the Raiders' hot shooting on a frigid night in upstate New York.
 
Tarke paced NJIT in scoring for the fifth-straight contest, tying O'Brien for top honors with 21 points. He also added five rebounds and a game-high-tying five assists. Over this five-game span, the Gaithersburg, Md., native is now averaging 18.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.
 
Junior Abdul Lewis collected his fourth double-double of the season on the strength of 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. He entered the contest leading the ASUN in rebound and ranking 21^st in the nation at 10.1 boards per game.
 
The Highlanders also had two others that wound up scoring in double figures with Wilson tallying 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting and freshman guard Shawndale Jones with 12 points to accompany his game-high three streals.
 
Colgate had four other scorers in double-digits: senior Will Rayman (18), freshman Jordan Burns (17), freshman Jack Ferguson (10) and junior Malcolm Regisford (10).
 
Burns, a native of San Antonio, was an impressive 7-for-11 from the floor while recording a game-high-tying five assists.
 
The teams fought back-and-fourth early in the first half, with nine lead changes before Colgate took a lead for good on a three-pointer by Ferguson with 10:41 remaining in the stanza.
 
Colgate took a 42-36 lead into the half, paced by 10 points by Ferguson. The Raiders shot a blistering 68.2-percent (15-for-22) from the floor in over the first 20 minutes while NJIT rebounded from a slow start to connect at 44.1-percent (15-for-34).
 
Jones made a big impact to keep the Highlanders in striking distance in the first half. Colgate pulled ahead by a game-high nine points on a layup by Regisford which gave the Raiders a 33-24 lead with 3:03 before the break.
 
But the Highlanders stormed back with a 10-2 run over the next 1:43. Jones provided eight of the 10 points with a pair of three-pointers followed by a steal and a coast-to-coast layup to pull the Highlanders to within one point.
 
Jones led NJIT in scoring at the half with 10 points while Tarke recorded seven points and three assists.
 
In all, the game featured a whopping 15 lead changes.
 
The Highlanders will now have three days off before a home bout with Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Wellness and Events Center, where NJIT has posted a 5-2 mark this season.