NEWARK, NJ– The NJIT men's basketball wraps up its three-game homestand on Thursday evening with a 7pm tip-off against Bryant at the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center in Newark. 

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Matt Provence (play-by-play) and Drew Casey (analyst) bringing viewers the action. 

All-Time Series
NJIT is 1-3 all time against the Bulldogs, including 0-2 since Bryant joined the America East prior to the 2022-23 season. The Bulldogs won both matchups last season, including a 79-78 victory in Newark where they batled back from a 17-point second half deficit. Adam Hess scored a then-career-high 25 points to lead NJIT, while Kevin Osawe recorded a double-doublt (23 pts, 11 rbs) for the Highlanders.

Last Time Out: Maine 70, NJIT 64 | Thurs. 1/18 in Newark, NJ
Senior Mekhi Gray and freshman Tariq Francis combined for 39 points on Saturday afternoon, but visiting Maine was able to come out on top of the NJIT men's basketball team, defeated the Highlanders 70-64 in America East Conference action at the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center. 

Maine scored the first four points of the game and led 11-4 just over five minutes into the game. The Highlanders scored the next seven points to tie the contest, but Maine answered with five in a row to go back in front. NJIT once again tied the game, this time at 17-17, but another Black Bears put the visitors ahead by as many as 11 late in the half before the Highlanders scored the final four points to make the score 32-25 at halftime. 

Maine scored the first three points of the second half to once again go in front by double digits, but seven-straight NJIT points made it a three-point game at the first media timeout of the second half. As they'd done all game, the Black Bears once again answered the Highlanders run and extended the margin to nine, 46-37, at the midway point of the half. NJIT didn't go down without a fight as the Highlanders were able to get within three with just over nine minutes to play before another 5-0 run from the visitors made the margin eight. Adam Hess hit a wide-open Mekhi Gray for a three-pointer with 5:04 on the clock that got the lead back to three and a pair of Kjell de Graaf free throws with 3:40 left made it a two point game. The Highlanders were able to get within two points on two more occasions, but were unable to get any closer as the Black Bears made their free throws down the stretch to hold on to the six-point win.

Gray was the game's top scorer with 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go along with five rebounds. Tariq Francis drained four three-pointers en route to an 18-point performance, while the freshman also grabbed six boards and dished out four assists. Kjell de Graaf scored 11 points after missing the last three games and Elijah Buchanan rounded out four Highlanders in double figures with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

NJIT shot just 56.0% (14-for-25) from the foul line in the six-point loss. Maine, which finished at 73.9% (17-of-23) from the charity stripe, was led by Peter Filipovity, who scored 20 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

ROOKIE(S) OF THE WEEK:
NJIT freshmen Sebastian Robinson and Tariq Francis are leading the America East Rookie of the Year race as the duo has combined for eight of the 11 ROW's announced this season. Robinson earned the honors in weeks two, three and four, while Francis has taken home five of the last six and three in a row. 

Highlander Highlights
*    Thursday's game is the 18th 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 WEC.
*    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 are playing their third of three-straight home games before hitting the road for two straight.
*    Kjell de Graaf is the most tenured Highlander as he is now in his sixth season with the program and played in his 100th game on Dec. 9 at Wake Forest.
*     NJIT's 14 steals vs. New Hampshire were its most against a Division I opponent since the Highlanders recorded 15 at Rutgers (12/7/17)
*    Adam Hess is tied atop the conference leaderboard in 3FG% (40.2%). Hess led the Conference in 3FG% last season, too (40.7%). The veteran was 5-of-11 from beyond the arc last Thurs. vs. New Hampshire, while the rest of the Highlanders shot just 2-of-17.
*    Tariq Francis (five) and Sebastian Robinson (three) and have combined for seven of the 10 America East Rookie of the Week Awards this season. Francis leads all AE rookies in scoring (11.4 ppg), while Robinson ranks second (7.5 ppg)
*    Kjell de Graaf (12 pts, 11 rbs vs. Medgar Evers, Mekhi Gray (13 pts, 10 rbs vs. Morgan St.) and Levi Lawal (11 pts, 12 rebs vs. New Hampshire) each recorded their first-career double-doubles over the past few games. 
*    Mekhi Gray tied his career-high with 21 points last time out vs. Maine, with 19 of those points coming after halftime. Gray, who is averaging a career-best 10.6 ppg, also scored 21 earlier this season in the Highlanders' win at Fordham. 

Next Up
The Highlanders hit the road on Saturday for a 7pm matchup in Baltimore against host UMBC. 

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.