NEWARK, NJ - The NJIT men's basketball team was defeated by visiting UAlbany 64-53 in America East action on a snowy Saturday evening at the Wellness and Events Center.

The Highlanders are now 8-11 on the season and 3-6 in America East action, while the Great Danes improved to 9-11 overall and 5-3 in conference play.

UAlbany won the opening tip and immediately jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a three-pointer from Matt Cerruti as part of an 8-0 run to start the game.

The Great Danes' lead blossomed to as many as 20 when a basket in the paint from Paul Newman put the visitors ahead 25-5 with 11:00 to play in the first half.

NJIT cut the deficit to 12 several times later in the half, before UAlbany took a 34-19 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Miles Coleman, who had only two points in the first half, scored the first two baskets of the second half to make the margin 11 and hit a three-pointer with 12:55 to play to make the score 43-37 and get the Highlanders within two possessions for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.

The Great Danes answered Coleman's triple with a 10-1 run, however, to go back ahead by a comfortable 15-point margin as the second half hit its midway point. 

NJIT was unable to get within less than eight the rest of the way before UAlbany won the game by 11 points.

Coleman led the Highlanders with 15 points and was joined in double figures by Dylan O'Hearn, who finished with 11. James Lee pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds from his guard position, while Coleman grabbed eight to narrowly miss his third double-double of the season. 

Jamel Horton led all scorers, netting a game-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. As a team, UAlbany shot 50.0% (8-of-16) to help lead them to their fifth win in their last six games. 

NJIT will return to the court on Wednesday when it travels north to take on Vermont in another America East contest. Tip-off is slated for 7pm at Patrick Gym in Burlington.