NJIT HIGHLIGHTS (VIDEO)


(HACKENSACK, NJ) – Sophomore Zach Cooks scored a game-high 25 points and senior Abdul Lewis posted a double-double (20 points, 12 rebounds) in guiding the Highlanders past Fairleigh Dickinson University, 90-80, on Saturday at the Rothman Center. With the win, NJIT became the first team in the nation to reach six road wins this season and just the third to 11 victories – joining No. 23 Furman University (12-0) and No. 5 University of Michigan (11-0).
 
The Highlanders (11-2) also tied their season-high with a four-game winning streak, set Nov. 6-14 in their first four contests of 2018-19.
 
Additionally, they have won five-straight in the all-time series with FDU, six-consecutive against Northeast Conference opponents and seven in a row against metropolitan area program dating back exactly one year to Dec. 16, 2017.
 
NJIT shot very well for the game – finishing at 50.0-percent (25-for-50) overall and 46.7-percent (9-for-19) from distance. The Highlanders' total of 90 points was their largest output of the season, easily clearing the previous high set in an 82-60 win over St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 8. It was also their top bulge since a 91-59 win over North Florida on Jan. 18, 2018.
 
After a hot start for the Knights, the Highlanders' signature defense kicked-in. At the first media timeout, FDU had converted 5-of-6 field goals including all four of its attempts from downtown.
 
After the early barrage, the Knights cooled off to 22-for-52 (42.3%) from the floor and 4-for-19 (21.1%) from deep for the remainder of the game.
 
NJIT also dominated the glass with a decisive 38-25 rebounding edge that led to a 14-7 advantage on second-chance points.
 
In addition to Cooks and Lewis, three other Highlanders finished in double figures. Sophomore San Antonio Brinson set a career high with 18 points on 6-for-11 shooting. He also added four rebounds and a steal. His previous personal best had been 15 points set on two occasions – including earlier this season at LIU Brooklyn (Nov. 24).
 
Senior Diandre Wilson chipped in with 12 points and a season-high seven rebounds – one shy of his career high in boards. Sophomore Shyquan Gibbs notched 10 points along with four assists and a steal.
 
Cooks, who set a season high and tied his career high by draining five triples, has now reached the 20-point plateau in six of his last nine games. The five-foot-nine guard also tied his career high with seven rebounds -- and has now grabbed exactly seven boards in three of the last four affairs. 
 
Lewis added a season-high four assists to go along with the third double-double of the season and 16^th of his NJIT career.
 
FDU had three scorers share team-high honors with 16 points: Kaleb Bishop, Darnell Edge and Jahlil Jenkins.
 
NJIT pulled away for this victory starting with a burst out of the halftime break. With a 40-37 lead after the first 20 minutes, the Highlanders got off to a fast start with a Lewis three-point play followed by a driving layup from Gibbs. The 5-0 surge started a 13-2 run that built the lead to a then-game-high 14 points at 53-39 just 2:49 into the stanza. Wilson and Cooks also drained three-pointers to culminate the spurt.
 
The advantage later ballooned to 15 points on a corner triple by Cooks, which put NJIT up 71-56, with 8:45 to play. At its apex, the lead was 16 at 88-72 with 2:30 remaining.
 
The Highlanders had trailed by as many as six halfway through the first period, but later took a lead for good on a Brinson fast-break layup with one minute to go before the break.
 
NJIT now has a two-week layoff until a visit to University of Houston on Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. from the Fertitta Center. At 9-0, the Cougars rank 24th in the latest Associated Press Men's College Basketball Poll (Dec. 10) and 12th in NCAA NET Rankings.
 
The Highlanders are 1-1 all-time against opponents from the American Athletic Conference with a 60-57 win at University of South Florida (Nov. 16, 2015) and a 68-63 loss at Temple University (Dec. 17, 2016).