Box Score

NJIT GAME HIGHLIGHTS (VIDEO)

THE RAFF REPORT: POSTGAME ANALYSIS (VIDEO)


(NEWARK, NJ) – Ivy League scoring leader Matt Morgan amassed a game-high 34 points to guide visiting Cornell University past NJIT, 86-73, on Saturday at the Wellness and Events Center (WEC). Morgan's standout performance overshadowed a career-high total of 25 points apiece for junior Shyquan Gibbs and sophomore Zach Cooks.
 
With the loss, the Highlanders (4-1) are knocked from the realm of unbeatens after their fastest start since competing at the DIvision-III level in 1996-97. The Big Red (3-2) snapped a two-game skid to climb above .500 and remained a perfect 3-0 in the all-time series with NJIT.
 
Morgan, who led the Ivy in scoring and finished 11th in the nation at 22.5 points per game last season, produced his second, 30-point effort in 2018-19. The Concord, N.C., native bumped his average up to 25.4 ppg in his senior season by draining 10-of-16 form the floor and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added seven rebounds and two assists in his 35 minutes.
 
Cooks entered the contest ranked 11^th in the ASUN in scoring, and his season average jumped to 15.6 ppg following a 9-of-16 shooting performance. The five-foot-nine sophomore also led the team with six rebounds and three steals while tying Gibbs for the team lead in assists (2). His prior personal best was 20 points, set against Stetson on Feb. 10, 2018.
 
Gibbs also shot 9-of-16 during his 25-point outburst – shattering his prior career-high of 16 points against Kennesaw State on Jan. 30, 2017.
 
The starting backcourt duo combined to score 50 (68%) of NJIT's 73 point on Saturday after the pair posted 29 (41%) of the Highlanders' 73 points on Wednesday against Kean – a game in which Gibbs and Cooks were again the team's top two scorers, respectively. No other Highlanders reached double-figures on Saturday.
 
Shooting, however, turned out to be the key factor in this meeting.
 
Cornell's nickname was certainly appropriate on Saturday, as the Big Red was red hot from the jump. The visitors finished at a blazing 64-percent (32-for-50) from the floor and 45-percent (9-for-20) from beyond the arc, all while cranking out 20 assists.
 
This performance came against an NJIT team that entered the day having held opponents to just 58.8 points per game and to a 37-percent shooting percentage -- both which ranked second in the ASUN and placed 33rd and 78th in the nation, respectively
 
Conversely, the Highlanders shot 44-percent (26-for-58) and 35-percent (7-for-20) from deep. NJIT recorded just seven assists in the game.
 
Another surprising factor was how well Cornell controlled the lanes. The Big Red finished with a 32-to-22 rebounding advantage and outscored NJIT, 40-24, from points in the paint. These stats were even more shocking considering the return on NJIT senior Abdul Lewis, the team's lone ASUN preseason All-Conference selection, who was making his season debut.
 
Lewis finished with four points and four rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.
 
The Big Red set the tone from the start – canning a sizzling 11 of its first 13 shot attempts in the contest to jump out to a 29-13 lead midway through the first half.
 
NJIT had one real opportunity to take a stand in front of an Alumni Day crowd. Down 35-24 with 2:57 left before half, the Highlanders scored seven straight points on a jumper by Cooks, a dunk by sophomore San Antonio Brinson and a triple from Gibbs.
 
Having held Cornell scoreless for nearly two-and-a-half minutes and having pulled to within 35-29, the Highlanders injected life into the crowd on hand.
 
It was short-lived.
 
Sophomore Jimmy Boeheim – son of Syracuse Head Coach and Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim (who was in attendance, for the record) – answered with a three-pointer with 41 seconds to go. Then, Morgan drew a foul on a shot at the buzzer that resulted in two made free-throws.
 
Cornell had answered with a 5-0 run into the break and NJIT would never again come within single digits.
 
Boeheim finished with 15 points – his season average – and senior Jack Gordon rounded out Big Red double-digit scorers with 10. Senior Steven Julian recorded game-highs in rebounds (8) and blocks (4) while junior Josh Warren handed out a game-high six assists.
 
Of note, NJIT senior Diandre Wilson returned from a one-game absence (knee) to finish with seven points in 26 minutes. Freshman Kjell deGraaf posted five points and three rebounds in 14 minutes – during which time he knocked down the first triple of his NCAA career.
 
The Highlanders now embark on a four-game road swing starting at Wagner University (2-2) on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Spiro Sports Center in Staten Island, N.Y.