Game 19	at North Florida (9-11, 3-2 ASUN)
Date | Time	Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 | 7 p.m. ET
Location | Arena	Jacksonville, FL | UNF Arena
Tickets	www.NJITtix.com | 973-596-5555
Live Video	ESPN+ |
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
All-time series	UNF Leads, 5-2
Game Notes	NJIT Notes (PDF)

 
 

JACKSONVILLE, FL — NJIT (14-5, 2-2 ASUN) heads south to take on North Florida (9-11, 3-2 ASUN) in its fifth ASUN Conference game on Monday, January 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at UNF Arena. (TV: ESPN+)

NJIT is one of just six teams in the nation with seven road wins this season (7-3), a milestone they hope to expand upon against the Ospreys. NJIT enters Monday's game having won seven of their last 10 contests this season.

In their last outing, NJIT ended a two-game losing streak, defeating Jacksonville at home, 77-74.

Senior Abdul Lewis broke his own NJIT single-game rebounds record by grabbing 21 boards in addition to 19 points and five assists.

Sophomore Zach Cooks led the team in scoring with 23 points and has totaled 19 points or more in 11 of his last 15 games.

Senior Diandre Wilson shot 5-9 from three-point range for a total of 15 points in the win, while junior Shyquan Gibbs added 10 points in the victory.

All-Time Series: North Florida Leads, 5-2

NJIT will face North Florida for the eighth time since joining the ASUN.

In their previous meeting, the Ospreys eliminated the Highlanders from the ASUN tournament, 80-76. San Antonio Brinson scored a team-high 15 points for NJIT, while Donovan Greer added 14 points. Gibbs finished with 13 points, Lewis had eight points and 12 rebounds and Cooks added 10 points off the bench.
 
NJIT last defeated North Florida on January 18, 2018, when Wilson scored a game-high 17 points leading the Highlanders to a 91-59 win.

All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 20-26 against ASUN Conference opponents.

NJIT, which finished non-conference play with its best record in since becoming Division I in 2006, is 7-3 on the road this season.

Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 137-119 (.535) overall record in its last 256 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).

The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 162 (as of January 18) and have appeared in "Others Receiving Votes" in the Associated Press Top-25 three weeks this season (Dec. 10-24) -- the first times in program history that NJIT has been recognized in the poll.

ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

After winning last year's ASUN Conference men's basketball championship title, Lipscomb was picked to repeat by the league's head coaches in the 2018-19. The Bisons garnered seven of nine first-place votes among the head coaches in the league, while also being selected first in the media poll.

Coincidentally, both polls featured identical rankings.

NJIT was selected sixth in the nine-member conference in both the ASUN Preseason Coaches and Media Polls as Kennesaw State was picked seventh behind the Highlanders with 26 points.

Lewis, an ASUN Conference second-team honoree last season was named to the 2018 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.

North Florida Ospreys

North Florida will play its sixth conference game on Monday against NJIT, entering the contest with a 9-11 (3-2 ASUN) record, good enough for fourth place in the conference – one spot ahead of the Highlanders.

The Ospreys have won four of six games in 2019 and are coming off of a road loss to ASUN leaders Liberty, 70-64. In conference play, UNF has beaten North Alabama, Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson.

Junior forward Noah Horchler leads North Florida in scoring, averaging 15.4 ppg, followed by junior guard Garrett Sams with 12.4 ppg.

The Ospreys' strength lie in three-point shooting and rebounds.

UNF is 15^th in the nation in three-point field goal attempts, ranking second in the ASUN in three-point field goals made, and tops the ASUN with 38.7 rebounds per game.

Head coach Matt Driscoll is in the midst of his tenth season as head coach of North Florida.

The two-time ASUN Coach of the Year is 5-2 in his career against NJIT and 156-161 all-time at the helm of UNF.

Next Up

NJIT will complete their road trip on Thursday, January 21, against Stetson at 7 p.m. (TV: ESPN+)

Following the weekday road game, NJIT returns home to the Wellness and Events Center in Newark, N.J., on Sunday, January 27, where they will host North Alabama at 4 p.m.

Tickets are available for purchase on NJITTix.com.