NASHVILLE, Tenn. — NJIT (20-9, 8-6 ASUN) finishes its final road trip of the regular season at Lipscomb (21-6, 12-2 ASUN) on Monday, Feb. 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Allen Arena. (TV: ESPN+)
TICKETS: Final Regular Season Home Game | Liberty vs. NJIT | Friday, March 1
NJIT has just two 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 (8-7) and Florida Gulf Coast (8-7).
With a win at Lipscomb and either a North Florida loss to Stetson on Tuesday or an FGCU loss to Jacksonville on Friday, NJIT will clinch a home game in the ASUN Championship.
In NJIT's previous game against Jacksonville, the Highlanders were able to grind out their 10
th road win of the season, 77-73.
Sophomore
Zach Cooks earned his first career double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Senior
Diandre Wilson followed with 20 points.
Senior
Mohamed Bendary pitched in off the bench, adding eight points and six rebounds.
Abdul Lewis, who was named ASUN Co-Player of the Week the final week of January, is averaging a double-double in his last 11 games with 158 points (14.4 ppg) and 112 rebounds (10.2 rpg) during the stretch.
All-Time Series: Lipscomb Leads, 6-2
NJIT faces Lipscomb for the second time this season on Monday.
Last time out on Jan. 16, the Bisons were victorious at the Wellness and Events Center, 70-52.
Zach Cooks led the team with 11 points and three steals followed by nine points from both
Mohamed Bendary and
Diego Willis off the bench
Last season, the Highlanders were able to win at Lipscomb, 81-77.
Abdul Lewis led the charge with a monster double-double, featuring 27 points and 13 rebounds.
All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 26-30 against ASUN Conference opponents.
Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 143-123 (.538) overall record in its last 266 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).
The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 179 (as of Feb. 23) 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 Lipscomb was picked to win the conference with 79 points.
Lewis, an ASUN Conference second-team honoree last season was named to the 2018 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.
Lipscomb Bisons
Lipscomb (21-6) enters Monday's game atop the ASUN with a 12-2 conference record.
The Bisons are locked in a head-to-head battle to win the ASUN Conference with Liberty (12-2).
Lipscomb's only in-conference losses came against Liberty and Florida Gulf Coast.
In their previous game, the Bisons suffered their loss at FGCU, 67-61.
Despite dropping two of their last three games, Lipscomb boasts an 11-2 home record at Allen Arena.
Senior Garrison Mathews leads the ASUN in scoring with 19.4 points per game.
As a team, the Bisons lead the conference in scoring offense (84.1 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.408), rebounding margin (+4.8), assists (17.3 apg) and steals (7.9 spg).
Next Up
The NJIT Highlanders return home to the Wellness and Events Center for Senior Day on Friday, March 1, to host Liberty in their final regular season game at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets are available for purchase on
www.NJITtix.com.
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