Game 31	vs. Liberty  (24-6, 13-2 ASUN)
Date | Time	Friday, March 1, 2019 | 7 p.m. ET
Location | Arena	Newark, N.J. | Wellness and Events Center
Tickets	www.NJITtix.com | 973-596-5555
Live Video	ESPN+
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
All-time series	Liberty Leads, 1-0
Game Notes	NJIT Notes (PDF)

 


NEWARK, N.J. — NJIT (20-9, 8-6 ASUN) finishes the regular season against Liberty (24-6, 13-2 ASUN) on Friday, March 1. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at the Wellness and Events Center. (TV: ESPN+)

TICKETS: Final Regular Season Home Game | Liberty vs. NJIT

NJIT heads into the season finale in third place of the ASUN in need of a win and help from around the conference to clinch a home game in the ASUN Championship.

Here are the scenarios:

• If Lipscomb defeats North Alabama: NJIT can clinch a home game with a win against Liberty and a Jacksonville win over FGCU. 
• If North Alabama defeats Lipscomb: NJIT can clinch a home game with a win and Jacksonville win, OR an NJIT win and FGCU win over Jacksonville and a Stetson win over Kennesaw State.

If the Highlanders lose to Liberty on Friday, they will not host a home game in the ASUN Championship.

If NJIT loses and Lipscomb wins, the Highlanders will finish in fifth place. If North Alabama wins and NJIT loses, the Highlanders will fall to the sixth seed.

VOTE: Abdul Lewis Nominated as NJ.com's New Jersey's Best Men's Basketball Player

In NJIT's previous game against Lipscomb, the Highlanders' comeback fell just short in Nashville, Tenn., 81-77.

Junior Shyquan Gibbs led the team in scoring with 19 points on 7-8 field goals followed by a double-double from senior Abdul Lewis who added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior Diandre Wilson tallied 15 points while Zach Cooks pitched in with 12 points and five boards.

Abdul Lewis, who was named ASUN Co-Player of the Week the final week of January, is averaging a double-double in his last 12 games with 176 points (14.7 ppg) and 123 rebounds (10.3 rpg) during the stretch.

All-Time Series: Liberty Leads, 1-0

NJIT faces Liberty for the second time this season on Friday.

In their first ever meeting on Feb. 2 in Lynchburg, Va., the Flames were victorious at the Vines Center, 77-57.

Abdul Lewis led the team in scoring and rebounds with 14 points and nine boards.

Diandre Wilson and Donovan Greer both added 13 points in the loss.

All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 26-31 against ASUN Conference opponents.

Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 143-124 (.536) overall record in its last 267 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).

The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 177 (as of Feb. 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 Liberty was picked to finish in third place with 63 points.

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

Liberty Flames

Liberty (24-6) enters Friday's tied atop the ASUN with a 13-2 conference record.

The Flames are locked in a head-to-head battle to win the ASUN Conference with Lipscomb (13-2).

Liberty's only in-conference losses came against Lipscomb and North Florida.

In their previous game on Tuesday, the Flames took care of business against Kennesaw State, 76-59.

Liberty need a win and a Lipscomb loss to clinch the ASUN title on Friday.

Juniors Scottie James and Caleb Homesley both lead the Flames in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game.

As a team, Liberty leads the ASUN in Scoring Defense (60.9 ppg), Field Goal Percentage (.490) and Three-Point Field Goals Made (9.3).

Next Up

NJIT kicks off its 2019 ASUN Championship campaign in the ASUN Quarterfinals on Monday, March 4.

The time, opponent and location will be determined following the conclusion of regular season action on Friday evening.

If NJIT hosts any ASUN Championship home games, tickets will be available for purchase on www.NJITtix.com.