Game 28	Vs Stetson (6-21, 2-10 ASUN)
Date | Time	Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019 | 7 p.m. ET
Location | Arena	Newark, N.J. | Wellness and Events Center
Tickets	www.NJITtix.com | 973-596-5555
Live Video	ESPN+  | Rob Kennedy (PBP); Dave Calloway (Color)
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
All-time series	Series Tied, 4-4
Game Notes	NJIT Notes (PDF)

 


NEWARK, N.J. — NJIT (18-9, 6-6 ASUN) takes on Stetson (11-16, 5-7 ASUN) in its thirteenth ASUN game on Wednesday, February 20. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at the Wellness and Events Center. (TV: ESPN+)

TICKETS: Stetson vs. NJIT | Wednesday, Feb. 20

NJIT looks to snap a four-game losing streak on Wednesday after seeing its five-game winning streak end at Liberty.

With four games remaining in the regular season, NJIT has secured its place in the ASUN Championship and looks to gain home-field advantage in the tournament.

NJIT has won three of their last four at the Wellness and Events Center and at 9-3, are looking for their tenth home win of the season.

In NJIT's previous game against North Florida, the Highlanders dropped a heart breaker as their comeback efforts fell just shy at the WEC, 64-63.

Senior Abdul Lewis finished with a double-double on 20 points and 11 rebounds, followed by sophomore Zach Cooks with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Junior Shyquan Gibbs ended with 10 points while Diandre Wilson added eight points and a team-high four assists.

Lewis, who earned ASUN Co-Player of the Week honors two weeks ago, is averaging a double-double in his last nine games with 141 points (15.7 ppg) and 99 rebounds (11.0 rpg) during the stretch.

Lewis has double-doubles in four of his last nine games and 21 total in his NJIT career, a program record.

All-Time Series: Series Tied, 4-4

NJIT faces Stetson for the second time this season on Wednesday.

Last time out on January 24, NJIT were victorious on the road, 82-59.

Zach Cooks led the team with 16 points and four steals, followed by Donovan Greer, who finished a perfect 5-5 from the field for 14 points off the bench.

Abdul Lewis chipped in with 12 points and seven boards in a game that featured 10 different scorers for the Highlanders.

As a team, NJIT recorded a season-best 22 assists in the game.

All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 24-30 against ASUN Conference opponents.

Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 141-123 (.534) overall record in its last 264 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).

The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 175 (as of February 15) 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 Stetson was picked eighth behind Kennesaw State with 20 points.

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

Stetson Hatters

Stetson (6-21) enters Saturday's game with a 2-10 record in the ASUN Conference and is locked in a battle for the final spot in the ASUN Championship with Kennesaw State (5-22, 2-10).

The Hatters currently stand in eighth place of the ASUN behind North Alabama (8-19, 5-7 ASUN) in the final qualifying position for the ASUN Championship.

Stetson's two conference wins came against Florida Gulf Coast and Kennesaw State.

In their previous game, Stetson ended a stretch of back-to-back losses with a win over FGCU at home, 67-55.

The Hatters have won two of their last four games.

Stetson is led in scoring by Abayomi Iyiola (10.5 ppg) and Christiaan Jones (10.3).

As a team, Stetson ranks second in the ASUN in steals (7.2) and leads the conference in offensive rebounds (11.9).

Next Up

The Highlanders leave for their final road trip of the regular season, beginning at Jacksonville on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. ET. (TV: ESPN+)

NJIT then heads to Nashville, Tenn., where they will take on the ASUN's second ranked team, Lipscomb, on Monday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 ET. (TV: ESPN+)

Finally, the Highlanders return home for their final regular season home game of the season on Friday, March 1, when they host ASUN leaders Liberty at 7 p.m. ET.

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