JACKSONVILLE, FL — NJIT (19-9, 7-6 ASUN) begins its final road trip of the regular season at Jacksonville (12-16, 5-8 ASUN) on Saturday, Feb. 23. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at Swisher Gymnasium. (TV: ESPN+)
TICKETS: Final Regular Season Home Game | Liberty vs. NJIT | Friday, March 1
NJIT has just three games remaining in the regular season and need to finish in the top four of the ASUN Conference to secure a home game in the ASUN Championship tournament.
The Highlanders currently stand in third place, tied on conference-win totals with North Florida (7-7) and Florida Gulf Coast (7-7).
In NJIT's previous game against Stetson, the Highlanders completed a late comeback win at home to snap a four-game losing streak, 82-77.
Sophomore
Zach Cooks led the team in scoring with 21 points and assists with five. Senior
Diandre Wilson followed with 13 points, including a team-best 3-6 three pointers.
Abdul Lewis, who was battling the flu, toughed out 12 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists.
The former ASUN Co-Player of the Week is averaging a double-double in his last 10 games with 154 points (15.4 ppg) and 104 rebounds (10.4 rpg) during the stretch.
Lewis has double-doubles in four of his last 10 games and 21 total in his NJIT career, a program record.
All-Time Series: NJIT Leads, 4-3
NJIT faces Jacksonville for the second time this season on Saturday.
Last time out on Jan. 10, NJIT held off a late charge from the Dolphins at the WEC to win, 77-74.
Zach Cooks led the team with 23 points and three steals while
Abdul Lewis set the NJIT single-game rebounding record with 21 boards alongside 19 points and five assists.
Diandre Wilson pitched in with 15 points and
Shyquan Gibbs added 10 points and a pair of steals.
The previous five head-to-head battles between the Highlanders and Dolphins have been decided by three points or less. NJIT has won two out of those five single-possession games.
All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 25-30 against ASUN Conference opponents.
Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 142-123 (.536) overall record in its last 265 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).
The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 183 (as of Feb. 20) 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 Jacksonville was picked just ahead in fifth place with 40 points.
Lewis, an ASUN Conference second-team honoree last season was named to the 2018 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.
Jacksonville Dolphins
Jacksonville (12-16) enters Saturday's game with a 5-8 conference record and is on the outside looking in on the battle for home-court advantage in the ASUN Championship.
The Dolphins currently stand in seventh place of the ASUN behind North Alabama (9-19, 6-7 ASUN) and is one win shy of clinching a spot in the ASUN Championship.
Jacksonville's five conference wins came against North Florida, Kennesaw State (twice) and Stetson (twice).
In their previous game, Jacksonville fell at home to North Florida in overtime, 80-73.
The Dolphins have won four of their last eight games, a stretch that has not featured consecutive wins or losses.
Jacksonville is led in scoring by sophomore JD Notae (15.4 ppg) and Jace Hogan (13.1 ppg).
As a team, the Dolphins lead the ASUN in blocked shots (5.5 per game) and rank second in scoring offense (75.9 ppg).
Next Up
NJIT heads to Nashville, Tenn., where they will take on the ASUN's second ranked team, Lipscomb, on Monday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET. (TV: ESPN+)
The Highlanders then return home for Senior Day on Friday, March 1, and will host ASUN leaders Liberty in their final regular season game at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets are available for purchase on
www.NJITtix.com.
