Newark, N.J. – Ari Fulton posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Tariq Francis notched another 20-point night but the NJIT men's basketball team came up short against Vermont, 71-61, on Thursday night.

How it Happened
The two sides jockeyed for momentum early in the game, with the Catamounts leading for the bulk of the first half. Vermont's lead eventually grew to as large as 10 with 6:27 remaining in the first half, however NJIT flipped the momentum heading into the locker room. The Highlanders held Vermont scoreless over the final 6:27 of the first half, an 11-0 run that was kickstarted by three-pointers from Francis and Jordan Rogers. After a layup from Fulton and a made free throw from Rogers, Sebastian Robinson converted a layup with just over a minute before the break to give NJIT a 30-29 lead at halftime.

The run extended to a 15-0 burst for NJIT after layups from Fulton and Robinson opened the half. The Highlander lead would soon grow to seven, the largest of the night for the home side, after Francis found Tim Moore Jr. down the floor on a fast break for a two-handed slam. The Catamounts would answer back, going on a 10-3 run over the ensuing five minutes to regain the lead.

Vermont's lead would get back up to 10, 64-54, with 4:11 to go after two made free throws. The Highlanders made one last surge late, as buckets from Fulton and Francis helped trim the deficit down to four with two minutes left. However, Vermont got timely plays down the stretch to keep its distance from NJIT to claim the win.

News & Notes

• Fulton's double-double was his third of the season and his first since UMass Lowell back on Jan. 11.
• Francis surpassed 20 points for the 13^th time this season and 21^st of his career.
• Rogers is shooting 48 percent from behind the three-point arc over his last five games.

Up Next
NJIT plays its final home game of the season on Saturday when it hosts UAlbany for Senior Day at 2 p.m.