NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT men's basketball team will tip off its 2023-24 home slate on Saturday when it hosts Saint Peter's at 4pm in the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.

The game will be streamed on ESPN+ as Nick DeLuca (play-by-play) and Ryan Peters (analyst) have the call.

All-Time Series
Saturday's matchup is the fifth all-time between the Highlanders and Peacocks. SPU has won all four previous meetings in the series, which began on 11/18/2006 in a neutral site game at Columbia. Last season, the teams met on Opening Night with the Peacocks earning a 73-59 victory.

LAST TIME OUT - #13 Miami 101, NJIT 60 (Coral Gables, FL - Nov. 6, 2023)
The NJIT men's basketball team dropped its 2023-24 season opener on Monday, falling 101-60 to host Miami (FL) at the Watsco Center. The Hurricanes, fresh off a Final Four run last season, were ranked 13th in the preseason AP poll and proved why on Monday as they spoiled NJIT Head Coach Grant Billmeier's coaching debut.

Miami raced out to a 22-9 lead, but the Highlanders scored nine straight of their own to cut the deficit to four at the midway point of the first half. The hosts went on another run, however, and broke the game open eventually leading by 20, 52-32, at halftime. Miami came out fast in the second half and extended its lead.

The Hurricanes scored 21 in a row at one point and led by a game-high 44 points late in the half before ultimately winning by the 41-point margin. The Hurricanes scored 52 points in the paint and shot 12-of-28 (42.9%) from deep in the win, while the Highlanders scored 26 points in the paint and shot just 9-of-30 from deep.

Adam Hess was NJIT's top scorer, finishing with 14 points, while Elijah Buchanan finished with eight points and six rebounds in 21 minutes of action. Tariq Francis had an impressive debut off the bench for the Highlanders as the rookie stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, seven boards, five assists and three steals. Francis' classmates Jake Goldberg, Jeffrey Akintolu, Levi Lewal, and Sebastian Robinson all made their way into the scoring column in their collegiate debuts.

Wooga Poplarscored 21 points to lead Miami, while Norchad Omeir (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Matt Cleveland (16 points, 10 rebounds) finished with double-doubles for the Hurricanes.

Highlander Highlights
* Saturday's game is the second of the 2023-24 season -- which marks NJIT's 18th participating in Division I, fourth as a member of the America East and seventh in the Wellness & Events Center.
* NJIT's roster makeup is rather unique with nine freshmen, one junior, one senior, and five post-graduate players, including four in their sixth collegiate season
* The Highlanders return just five members from their 2022-23 squad, led by Mekhi Gray and Adam Hess, who each started most of last season.
* Kjell de Graaf is the most tenured Highlander as he is now in his sixth season with the program. Mekhi Gray is in his fourth season as a Highlander.
* Tariq Francis stuffed the stat sheet in his first collegiate game at #13 Miami on Monday, scoring nine points, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out five assists and recording three steals.
* Francis and classmate Sebastian Robinson project to carry the load at Point Guard this season. Fellow freshmen Jake Goldberg should see plenty of time off the bench at the wing spot.
* Grant Billmeier was one of 25 NCAA Division I Head Coaches to make his debut this week. Billmeier and Saint Peter's Head Coach Bashir Mason go way back as they played against one another in high school for St. Patrick's (Billmeier) and St. Benedict's (Mason).
* Adam Hess is as well-traveled as any player in the country. The sixth-year player has played at five different schools in all four time zones across the continental United States.
* Two Highlanders - Elijah Buchanan and Daniel Schreier - followed top assistant coach RaShawn Stores to Newark from Manhattan College where Stores made a pair of NCAA Tournaments as a player and served as Interim Head Coach last season.

Next Up
The Highlanders hit the road on Thursday to take on American at 7pm. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

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 Basketball page on Facebook.