Lowell, Mass. – The NJIT men's basketball team trimmed a 20-point second half deficit down to as little as three but were unable to complete the comeback in a 70-62 defeat to UMass Lowell on Saturday afternoon.
Sebastian Robinson led the Highlanders with 21 points, 17 of which came in the second half as he helped will NJIT back into the game.
Ari Fulton notched a double-double with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, while
Tim Moore Jr. chipped in 14 points and eight boards.
How it Happened
The River Hawks started the game strong, scoring the first seven points of the day and growing their lead to double figures by the under-12 timeout. UMass Lowell's lead grew to as large as 19 in the first half after a Max Brooks jumper at the 5:58 mark. The Highlanders worked to trim the deficit down to 13 by halftime, thanks in part to a pair of thunderous slam dunks from Moore.
The early portion of the second half looked to be more of the same from UMass Lowell, as the home side's lead grew to 20 at the 15:32 mark, 48-28. From there, momentum swapped benches. A three-pointer from Moore sparked a 9-0 run for NJIT to help it pull back within 11 as the Highlanders began to dig in on both ends of the court. This sequence was when Robinson began to emerge, at one point scoring 10 straight points for NJIT as it closed the gap.
NJIT was able to cut the lead all the way down to three after a pair of made free throws from Fulton out of the under-4 timeout. Just over a minute later, UMass Lowell has stretched its lead back up to six after a made three from Quinton Mincey. Moore was able to respond with a deep jumper of his own on the following trip down the floor, bringing the Highlanders back within a possession with 2:19 to play. That was as close as NJIT would get in the late stages, as a couple key buckets late for the River Hawks helped them eek out the win.
News & Notes
- Robinson played all 40 minutes in the game, and surpassed the 20-point plateau for the second straight game.
- Fulton has scored in double figures in four straight games and has a double-double in two of his last three outings.
- Moore has scored in double figures in each of his last seven games.
- NJIT was +4 on the glass, its third straight game outrebounding its opponent.
Up Next
NJIT returns to the WEC for a pair of home games next week, starting with a Thursday morning showdown with Maine at 11 a.m.
