Game Highlights (VIDEO)

Play of Game: Taj Price Monster Dunk (VIDEO)

Watch Damon Lynn Set All-Time Scoring Record & In-Game Ceremony (VIDEO)

Postgame Comments from Kennedy, Lynn (VIDEO)


NEWARK, NJ – The Highlanders (6-8) snapped a four-game skid with a 92-50 win over Dean College (MA) (8-6) on Thursday afternoon at Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark.
 
NJIT remains unbeaten at home on the season and has won seven straight in Newark dating back to last season. They are also 26-0 all-time against non-Division I foes with wins over Dean and Sarah Lawrence this season.

"It was great to get back and play a home game after our away games," said NJIT Head Coach Brian Kennedy. "Our kids played tremendously on the road. They had great games at Minnesota, Temple and Purdue and I'm just happy to be back home and getting ready for conference play."
 
In the early going of the first half, Naquwan Solomon made a layup to tie things at 11 apiece for the Bulldogs before NJIT's Tim Coleman hit a three on the other end to kick-start a 17-2 run a lead NJIT would not relinquish. In fact, starting with Coleman's triple, the Highlanders went on a 47-13 run over the remainder of the half to take a 58-24 lead into the locker room.
 
With 18:31 left to play, senior guard Damon Lynn hit one of his five threes on the afternoon to pass Clarence Pierce ('96) and become the school's all-time leading scorer. In fact, the triple capped a 7-0 spurt by the Highlanders to start the second half and make it a 65-24 advantage for the hosts. The NCAA Division-I active career scoring leader came out of the game following his record-setter and would not return for the evening.
 
"Words really can't put into context what Damon's meant to NJIT, myself and the community here. I've said it before, he's a once-in-a-generation player," Kennedy said. "He deserves all the accolades he gets. He's our hardest worker. He's in the gym all the time. He's improved every summer. I'm just proud to say I'm his coach."

Lynn led the way for head coach Brian Kennedy's squad with 15 points and now has 2,030 points in his career. His five triples moved him into a tie for ninth place all-time for career three-pointers made in NCAA Division I history with 413 in his career. It also marked the 28^th straight game that the Hillside, N.J., native has scored in double figures.

"Coming here as a freshman, it's been a journey," said Lynn, who also ranks fourth among all active D-I players in career steals. "The coaches embraced me. They told me to come here and make it the best. They told me the only difference between high school and college is the speed. I planned on coming here and putting up some numbers and it came true."

Junior guard Chris Jenkins had 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc for the hosts and freshman forward Taj Price chipped in with a career-high 13 points. Coleman contributed eight points and 12 rebounds for NJIT.
 
Junior guard Aziz Gilliam -- a Newark native and product of Malcolm X Shabazz H.S. -- paced Dean with a game-high 17 points while Solomon added 15 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
 
NJIT sank 15-of-37 (40.5%) from beyond the arc, led by the five from Lynn and four from Jenkins. The Bulldogs hit 5-of-18 (27.5%) from downtown.
 
The Highlanders played stifling defense for all 40 minutes as they held the Bulldogs to 25.7% shooting from the field.
 
All 12 players that saw action for NJIT scored at least two points in the game.
 
The Highlanders outrebounded Dean by a 55-38 margin, led by the 12 boards from Coleman and seven from senior guard Rob Ukawuba. Solomon's 10 rebounds led the way for the Bulldogs.
 
NJIT will return to action on Wednesday night when they head to Long Island to battle the Stony Brook Seawolves (4-7) of the America East Conference. Opening tip from Island Federal Credit Union Arena is slated for 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN3. 


Write-up courtesy of Joe Fitzhenry