Video: Postgame Interview and Highlights

NEWARK, NJ - Two days after knocking off the America East's top team in Vermont, the NJIT men's basketball defeated the league's second-place team, UMass Lowell, earning an impressive 71-64 victory over the River Hawks on Saturday afternoon at the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.

"We had a major setback when we lost one of our veteran leaders in Kjell de Graaf, but our guys have stepped up and bounced back tremendously," explained first-year NJIT Head Coach Grant Billmeier. 

Fresh off Thursday's 31-point, career-high performance, NJIT's Tariq Fancis once again led all scorers, this time with a 26-point effort. Francis, a freshman, was joined by graduate student Elijah Buchnan as 20-plus point performers in the win. Buchanan tallied 21 points, including the 1,000th point of his collegiate career, which includes five seasons at Manhattan College and one as a Highlander.

UMass Lowell led 2-0 and 4-2 early, but a 16-0 NJIT run put the hosts in front for good as they raced out to a double-digit lead early in the first half. The Highlanders led by as many as 16 in the first half before taking a 14-point 42-28 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

Lowell cut the lead to 10 early in the second half and it was a four-point game, 49-45, after the River Hawks hit a three-pointer with 13:35 to play. NJIT never led UML get within four and extended its lead back up to nine on a Buchanan three-pointer that beat the shot clock with 11:10 left. 

The River Hawks once again cut it to four, this time at 56-52 with just under nine minutes to play, but the Highlanders once again answered and made the margin nine thanks to a step-back jumper from Buchanan with just over seven minutes left. 

From that point on, UML never got within six as Francis (10-of-12 FT) hit some clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the game and clinch the weekend sweep of the top two teams in the America East standings entering the weekend. 

Mekhi Gray joined Francis and Buchanan in double figures with 10 points to go along with six rebounds and four steals. Francis pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, while Buchanan chipped in with five NJIT out-rebounded the River Hawks 37-25. 

NJIT has now won three out of four and two in a row for the second time this season. It sits at 3-7 in the America East, just a half game out of sixth place. After Saturday's loss, Lowell is now 8-3 in the conference, which ranks third. One game behind second place Bryant and two behind first place Vermont.

"It was a great win and we need to remain focused on getting a little better each day," concluded BIllmeier. 

The Highlanders will look to stay hot on Thursday when they travel to UAlbany for a 7pm game against the Great Danes.