GAME NOTES VS SACRED HEART 12.13

NEWARK, NJ – NJIT stays home as the Highlanders welcome Sacred Heart to the Bloom Wellness and Events Center on Saturday, the 13^th for a 2:00 p.m. start time. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Matt Provence (Play by Play) and Jesse Agel (Color) on the call.

New Haven Recap

• The Highlanders secured their first win in 25 days back at home against New Haven, 70-64, on Wednesday night.
• Sophomore Ari Fulton finished the game with a team-high in both points and rebounds with 13 points and nine rebounds.
• Sophomore Jeremy Clayville
• Junior Sebastian Robinson played a vital role in the Highlanders' offense coming off the bench scoring 12 points and having two huge and-one plays.
• Freshman David Bolden recorded his fifth game with multiple assists, finishing the game with a team-high five assists.
• As a team, the Highlanders shot 21-47 from the field (44.7%) and had seven players scoring six or more points.

NJIT vs. Sacred Heart: All-Time Series

• This is the third all-time meeting between the Highlanders and the Pioneers.
• The Highlanders hold the all-time series record 2-0.
• The last matchup dates to 11/22/2022 where the Highlanders won 85-75.

America East Honors

• Fulton was named America East Co-Player of the Week (11/17) averaging 17.0 PPG and 12.0 RPG.
• Bolden was named America East Rookie of the Week two weeks in a row (11/10, 11/17) averaging 15 PPG and 6 APG.

Quick Notes:

• Grant Billmeier enters his third season at the helm.
• Ty Goode joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach after spending the previous three seasons on the staff at Fordham University as Recruiting/Video Coordinator (2024-25) and Assistant Recruiting Coordinator (2022-24).
• The Highlanders return nine players from last season, one of the highest marks in the conference.
• The Highlanders boasts a younger roster with 11 of its 15 members being either freshman or sophomores. The team also has three juniors and a graduate student.
• Newcomers to Newark include Melvyn Ebonkoli, Jeremy Clayville, Rocco Awad, Zack Scherler, AJ Altobelli and David Bolden.
• Bolden's 18 points at Fordham (11/4) is the most points scored by a freshman in their debut since Damon Lynn in 2013. Damon had 21 points at Tulane on Nov. 8, 2013.
• The last time the Highlanders started off a season 3-1 was back during the 2015-16 season.

Next Up
NJIT is back on the road as the Highlanders travel to Indianapolis to take on Butler in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on Monday, the 22^nd for a 2:00 p.m. start time. Stay up to date on all things NJIT Men's Basketball throughout the season by following @NJITHoops on X/Twitter and Instagram.