NJIT Video Highlights

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The NJIT men's basketball team dropped its season opener against host Temple 72-60 on Saturday at the Liacouras Center on the Owls' campus in North Philadelphia.

Saturday's game was the season opener for both teams, which were two of the last squads in the nation to open their 2020-21 campaigns due to issues surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. NJIT last played 291 days ago on March 3 in the 2020 ASUN Quarterfinals at Liberty.

Temple scored the first nine points of the game and never looked back, en route to a 42-26 point lead at halftime. Zach Cooks, a preseason All-America East selection, was a bright spot for NJIT early, leading all scorers with 10 points at the break.

The Owls' lead blossomed to a game-high 19, 55-36, with just over 13 minutes to play in the contest.

NJIT didn't go down without a fight, however, as the Highlanders scored 11 straight to cut the lead to single digits, but were never able to get closer than eight. A big reason NJIT was able to get back into the game was newcomer Dylan O'Hearn, who drained his first five shots of the game and finished with 11 points. 

Temple was able to increase its lead back to double digits thanks to three late three-pointers from J.P. Moorman II, who scored all 10 of his points in the final six minutes of the game.

The Owls out-rebounded the Highlanders 50-33 overall with De'Vondre Perry's 14 boards leading the way. Perry also tallied 12 points to finish with a double-double. 

Cooks, who played all 40 minutes for the 24th time in his career, and Temple's Damien Dunn each scored 18 points to lead all players.

Eleven Highlanders saw action on Saturday, including six making their NJIT debuts. In addition to O'Hearn, Miles Coleman, Antwuan Butler, Mekhi Gray, Da'mir Faison, and Jason Murphy all put on the NJIT uniform for the first time at Temple.

Butler played 32 minutes, the second-most on the squad, and stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six assists and five rebounds, while Coleman scored six points on a conventional three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play.

Fortunately for the Highlanders, their time off from the court will be much less than their last hiatus, as they are slated to take on Rider on Wednesday afternoon in Lawrenceville, NJ. Tip-off against the Broncs is slated for 2:30pm.