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NEWARK, NJ - Despite career-high scoring efforts from Zach Cooks and San Antonio Brinson, the NJIT men's basketball team fell to visiting Binghamton, 77-75, on Wednesday evening in the WEC.

Cooks scored 35 points to break the NJIT single-game scoring record that he tied last season (34 points; Damon Lynn) and Brinson tallied 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds, but the Highlanders (2-3) couldn't hold on to a double-digit second half lead as the Bearcats (2-3) rallied to earn the win.

Sam Sessoms scored 33 points for Binghamton, none bigger than his tie-breaking layup with 2.5 seconds on the clock to put the Bearcats in front. NJIT inbounded the ball the length of the court, but was unable to recieve the pass and Binghamton held on for its second-straight victory.

NJIT stormed out of the gates leading 14-2 early as Brinson (nine points) and Cooks (five points) carried the load.

The Bearcats were able to claw back, cutting the deficit to just one, 34-33, with 2:20 to play in the first half before a 9-2 NJIT run to close the half gave the hosts a 43-35 lead after 20 minutes.

Cooks and Brinson combined for 35 of the Highlanders' 43 first-half points, scoring 18 and 17 respectively.

Cooks picked up where he left off early in the second half, draining four quick three-point field goals to help increase the lead to a game-high 16 points, 64-48 with 12:28 to play.

From there, Sessoms helped lead the Bearcats back as they scored 17 of the next 19 points to close the margin to just one, 66-65, with just over six minutes on the clock.

Sessoms' layup with 2:01 to play gave Binghamton its first lead and a free throw from Pierre Sarr inceased the margin to 75-74 21 seconds later.

With 1:14 on the clock, NJIT senior captain Shyquan Gibbs ,who was playing in his 100th career game, tied the contest at 75 and neither team scored until Sessom's game winner in the final seconds.

In addition to his 33 points, Sessoms grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and dished out a game-best five assists. 

The Highlanders will look to get back into the win column on Saturday when they begin a season-long, four-game road trip at Brown. Tip-off against the Bears is scheduled for 4:30pm in Providence.