NEWARK, NJ - The NJIT men's basketball team was defeated 65-49 by visiting Hartford on Saturday evening in America East action at the Wellness and Events Center. 

NJIT is now 10-13 on the season and 5-8 in America East play, while the Hawks improved to 6-16 overall and 4-6 in conference action. 

Hartford scored the first five points of the game and never lost the lead, going ahead by as many as 11 points in the first half.

The Highlanders dug into the lead and trailed by just six, 37-31, as the teams entered their respective locker rooms for halftime.

Hartford scored eight straight to open the second half and go ahead by 14 with 17:55 to play and opened the half with a 23-4 run to go ahead by a game-high 26 points just past the midway point of the half, before ultimately winning by the 16-point margin.

Mekhi Gray scored 12 points to lead the Highlanders and pulled down a team-high-tying six rebounds, as did Miles Coleman.

Dylan O'Hearn (nine points), Antwuan Butler (nine points), Coleman (eight points), and Matt Faw (six points) all chipped for a balanced NJIT offense. 

Austin Williams led all scorers with 16 points for Harttord and was joined in double figures by Traci Carter (14 points) and David Shriver (10 points). Jared Kimbrough was the Hawks' top rebounder, pulling down a game-best 11 boards as the Hawks out-rebounded the Highlanders 39-30. 

NJIT returns to the court on Wednesday when it welcomes UMass Lowell to Newark. Tip-off is scheduled for 7pm back at the Wellness and Events Center.