VIDEO: NJIT Highlights

WEST HARTFORD, CT - The NJIT men's basketball team used a 16-0 second half run to turn a double-digit deficit into what would eventually be a 67-57 road win at Hartford in America East action on Saturday at the Chase Center.

The Highlanders (7-8, 6-7 America East) trailed by 10 on several occasions in the second half and were down 47-40 with 11:30 to play before they scored 16 unanswered and led 56-47 roughly five minutes later in their first-ever America East conference game against Hartford (10-8, 7-6 America East).

"I was proud of the way our guys came out in the second half," said fifth-year Head Coach Brian Kennedy. "We came out and played better defense, rebounded well, and were able to pull out a big conference win."

Zach Cooks, who finished with a game high 24 points, scored six points during the run, which began on a three-pointer from San Antonio Brinson and also saw Souleymane Diakite score four points during the spurt.

NJIT raced out to a 12-5 lead, but the hosts answered with a 10-2 run to take a 15-14 advantage. The squads traded the lead several times for the duration of the half and the game was tied 27-27 late in the frame when the Hawks scored eight out of the final nine points and lead 35-28 at the break. 

The margin quickly blossomed to 10 early in the second half, but the Highlanders wouldn't go away, eventually going on the aforementioned 16-0 run to take control of the game and improve to 5-2 in the first leg of America East back-to-back games. 

In addition to Cooks and the NJIT offense turning the game around, defense and rebounding also carried the Highlanders in the second half. After grabbing 11 offensive rebounds in the first 20 minutes, Hartford had just one after halftime and were held to just 22 field goal attempts after getting 36 in the first half.

"One thing I always try and remind our guys is that defense and rebounding always travels," added Kennedy. "Sometimes shooting can come and go, but your defensive and rebounding should always be there."

NJIT shot nearly 61 percent in the second half, making 14-of-23 field goal attempts, including 4-of-8 from deep. 

Brinson joined his classmate and co-captain Cooks in double figures with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while Diakite (eight points), Diego Willis (eight points), and Antwuan Butler (seven points) also chipped in offensive.

Cooks also grabbed eight boards and recorded three steals, while Willis pulled down seven rebounds and dished out a team-high-tying three assists.

"We have a lot of different pieces to our puzzle, and sometimes it takes time to put the pieces together," concluded Kennedy. "Players make plays; Antwuan, Diego, Souleymane, San Antonio, and Zach were big for us today."

DJ Mitchell shot 5-of-6 from three-point range and led the Hawks with 17 points. Other than Mitchell, Hartford was just 3-of-28 from deep.

NJIT will look to even its America East Conference record on Sunday when it returns to the Chase Center for the second game of the back-to-back series against the Hawks. Tip-off is once again scheduled for 2pm.