BURLINGTON, VT - The NJIT men's basketball team saw its 2022-23 season come to an end on Saturday in the Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs, as the 8th-seeded Highlanders were defeated 84-57 by the top-seeded Catamounts in Patrick Gymnasium.

Vermont advances to the semifinals where it will host 4/5, while NJIT's season concludes with a 7-23 record. The Highlanders finished America East play 4-12, with a pair of wins over Maine and a victory over UAlbany and UMBC.

NJIT scored the first five points of Saturday's game, with Kevin Osawe opening the scoring and Kjell de Graaf adding a three-pointer to put the Highlanders ahead 5-0.

The lead was short-lived, however, as UVM scored the next five points to tie the game. The teams traded baskets for the next six-plus minutes as Osawe put NJIT ahead 17-15 on a putback with 11:10 to play.

It was all Vermont from there, though, as the Catamounts took the lead on a three-pointer from Aaron Delaney and 23-6 run to go ahead by 15 points late in the first half. UVM extended the lead to 17 by halftime as it took a 45-28 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

Vermont broke the game open with a 13-0 run in the second half and led by as many as 32 before ultimately winning the game by the 27-point margin. 

Osawe posted his 11th double-double of the season, leading the Highlanders with 18 points and 13 rebounds in his final collegiate game. The 13 rebounds gave him 271 for the season, breaking the NJIT Division I record previously held by Abdul Lewis (264). 

Osawe was joined in double-figures by Kjell de Graaf, who was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc en route to 14 points. 

Dylan Penn scored 23 points to lead three Catamounts in double figures.