SMITHFIELD, RI - The NJIT men's basketball team closed out its 2023-24 season with a 101-82 setback to host Bryant in America East Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Highlanders scored the first six points of the game on consecutive three-pointers from Tariq Francis and Mekhi Gray, but the Bulldogs immediately answered with two triples of their own to tie things at 6-6.

A three-pointer from by Elijah Buchanan made it 9-6 before two more Bryant three-pointers put the hosts in front 12-9. The Bulldogs extended the margin to five, 16-11, but this time it was the Highlanders who answered, scoring six in a row to jump back in front.

NJIT's 17-16 lead was its last of the game, however, as Bryant scored eight in a row and took control of the game.

The Bulldogs led by as many as 16 in the first half and took a 50-39 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Buchanan drained a pair of free throws to open the second half scoring and cut the margin to nine, which was as close as the Highlanders were able to get the rest of the way.

Bryant led by as many as 23 in the second half before ultimately winning by the 19-point margin.

Buchanan led four Highlanders in double figures with 26 points, two off his season-high. The graduate student also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

Mekhi Gray put together one of the best games of his four-year career on Saturday, scoring 16 points, grabbing six boards and dishing out a career-high seven assists. 

Sherif Gross-Bullock was Bryant's top scorer with 22 points.