Game 23	vs. FGCU (8-14, 3-4 ASUN)
Date | Time	Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 | 7 p.m. ET
Location | Arena	Newark, N.J. | Wellness and Events Center
Tickets	www.NJITtix.com | 973-596-5555
Live Video	ESPN+ | Mike Ventola (PBP) & Dave Calloway (Color)
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
All-time series	Florida Gulf Coast Leads, 5-1
Game Notes	NJIT Notes (PDF)

 
NEWARK, N.J. — NJIT (17-5, 5-2 ASUN) is set to host the reigning ASUN regular season champions, Florida Gulf Coast (8-14, 3-4 ASUN) in its eighth ASUN game on Wednesday, January 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Wellness and Events Center. (TV: ESPN+)

TICKETS: Florida Gulf Coast vs. NJIT

NJIT enters the game on a four-game winning streak featuring wins over Jacksonville, North Florida, Stetson and North Alabama. The streak matches its longest of the season and the third time they've achieved four consecutive victories.

Overall, the Highlanders have now won 10 of their last 13 games.

In their last contest, NJIT defeated North Alabama in overtime, 76-70, moving up to third place in the ASUN Conference. The win was the Highlanders' eighth home win of the season.

Senior Donovan Greer drained the game-tying three pointer with five seconds remaining to send the game into overtime and sophomore Zach Cooks scored a game-high 21 points in the victory.

Senior Abdul Lewis earned ASUN Co-Player of the Week honors after tallying 17 points and 13 rebounds against North Alabama. The double-double was the forward's second of the week and third in four games.

Lewis finished the week with a combined 53 points, 38 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks over the course of three games last week. He has averaged 17.7 PPG and 12.7 RPG during the span.

All-Time Series: FGCU Leads, 5-1

NJIT meets the 2017-18 ASUN regular season champions, Florida Gulf Coast, for the first time this season.

In their previous meeting, the Eagles defeated NJIT, 75-70. Abdul Lewis finished with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds while Zach Cooks added nine points and four steals off the bench.

NJIT's only win against FGCU came on February 13, 2016, at the Fleisher Athletic Center, 68-59.

The only current member of NJIT on the roster the last time NJIT beat FGCU was Mohamed Bendary who totaled four points and two rebounds off the bench.

All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 23-26 against ASUN Conference opponents.

NJIT, which finished non-conference play with its best record since moving up to Division I in 2006, is 7-2 at home this season.

Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 140-119 (.541) overall record in its last 259 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).

The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 160 (as of January 27) 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.

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

FGCU also faces its eighth ASUN game of the season on Wednesday.

The Eagles currently stand in fifth place of the ASUN behind North Alabama (5-3 ASUN). Their 3-4 conference record features wins against Kennesaw State, Stetson and North Florida and losses to Liberty, North Alabama, North Florida and Lipscomb.

Despite mixed results overall, FGCU has won three of their last four games.

The Eagles' biggest threat is their three-point shooting, having made 36.5% from beyond the arc (2nd in ASUN) for an average of 8.0 three pointers made per game (4th in ASUN).

Redshirt senior guard Schadrac Casimir leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 ppg, in addition to 50% from three-point range.

Next Up

NJIT hits the road for a three-game road trip beginning at Liberty on Saturday, February 2. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. (TV: ESPN+)

The Highlanders will then break for the week and head to Georgia where they will take on Kennesaw State on Saturday, February 9, at 4:30 p.m. ET. (TV: ESPN+)

NJIT then heads further south to Fort Myers, Florida, to take on Florida Gulf Coast once again on Wednesday, February 13, at 7 p.m. ET. (TV: ESPN+)

Finally, the Highlanders return home on Saturday, February 16, when they will host North Florida at 4 p.m. ET.

Tickets are available for purchase on www.NJITtix.com.