NEWARK, NJ– After a 247 day offseason, the NJIT men's basketball team will take on court for the first time this season on Monday when they make the short trip to Jersey City to take on Saint Peter's.

Game Information
Tipoff is slated for 7pm inside Run Baby Run Arena on the campus of Saint Peter's. The game will be streamed on ESPN3 with in-game statistics available via SaintPetersPeacocks.com.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
*    Despite Newark and Jersey City only being a few miles apart, this the first meeting between NJIT and SPU since December 9, 2009 - a game the Peacocks won 65-54.
*    Miles Coleman is the only returner among the America East's top 10 scorers from a season ago. The senior averaged 15.6 ppg last season, which ranked fifth in the league. Coleman also averaged 5.7 rpg in 2021-22, the seventh-best mark in the league.
*    NJIT returns seven players from its 2021-22 squad and welcomed seven newcomers to this year's team. The Highlanders brought in four graduate transfers and three freshmen.
*    Six of the NJIT's 14 players have completed their undergraduate degrees and are working towards their Master's. Souleymane Diakite and Kjell de Graaf graduated from NJIT last May, while Justin Anderson (Bloomsburg), Adam Hess (E. New Mexico St.), Kevin Osawe (Arkansas-Little Rock), and Raheim Sullivan (Marist) come to NJIT from other institutions.
*    Paul McMillan IV is the highest-rated recruit to sign with the Highlanders. The 2021-22 Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year was ranked 126th in the Rivals.com rankings.
*    Souleymane Diakite and Kjell de Graaf are both in their fifth seasons with the Highlanders. Da'Mir Faison is the next longest tenured player as he is on the roster for the fourth season.
*    Keeshawn Mason was named to the America East All-Rookie Team last season, marking the second-straight season an NJIT player recieved the honor. Mekhi Gray was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2020-21.

On the Sidelines
Seventh-year Head Coach Brian Kennedy added two new members to his staff during the offseason in Art Luptowski and Mike Hamlin. Luptowski, who coached more than 20 seasons at the Division II level, spent the last nine seasons serving as an advance scout for several NBA organizations. Hamlin is the team's new Director of Basketball Operations and comes to NJIT after being an assistant coach at his alma mater Bloomsburg for more than a decade. Danny Manuel, who served as the program's Director of Basketball Operations the past three seasons, was promoted to assistant coach, joining Luptowski and Ricardo Rush Jr. in that role. 

America East Conference 
NJIT will begin its third season in the America East and will play a schedule of 16 conference games against the other eight schools.  The Highlanders became the 10th full member of the America East on July 1, 2020.

Bryant will be a new face to the America East this season, while Hartford and Stony Brook have departed. 

Next Up
Following Monday's game, the Highlanders will fly west for a pair of games in California. NJIT will take on California Baptist on Friday evening and San Diego on Sunday afternoon before hosting American on Saturday, November 19 in its home opener.

Stay Connected
Stay up to date during the NJIT Men's Basketball season by following @NJITHoops on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Men's Basketball page on Facebook.