Box Score
NEWARK, NJ—Senior point guard David Holston had 18 points and 10 assists to lead visiting Chicago State to an 84-68 win over NJIT in the second game of a men's/women's basketball doubleheader Saturday afternoon in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
Holston was one of four starters to reach double figures for the balanced Cougars (15-12). Fellow senior guards John Cantrell and Mike Wilson added 15 points apiece and sophomore forward Carl Montgomery scored 14 points despite exiting early in the second half with what appeared to be a lower back injury after he was knocked hard to the floor near the basket.
Holston, ranked third in scoring in the latest NCAA Division I rankings with an average of 25.8 points per game, had a subpar shooting night from the field, connecting on just three of 12 shots, but he shot 9-for-12 from the foul line and played a strong floor game, handing out the 10 assists while committing just one turnover in 34 minutes of action.
NJIT lost despite a game-high 26 points for sophomore guard Jheryl Wilson, who matched his career high, first set in Highlanders' 61-51 win over Bryant on January 21.
Freshman Isaiah Wilkerson added 12 points for Highlanders, extending his streak of double-figure scoring games to 15.
Leading at halftime, 36-32, Chicago State took control immediately, outscoring NJIT, 13-5, in the opening 3:05 of the second half. Montgomery scored all six of his second-half points in the opening spurt, as the Cougars extended their lead to 49-37. Chicago State led by at least 10 and as many as 18 points the rest of the way.
NJIT opened the game strong, scoring the first five points and going up, 13-4, after Wilkerson hit a three-point basket 6:18 into the contest.
Chicago State responded with 14-2 run over the next five minutes, claiming its first lead, 18-15, after Holston's three with 8:45 left in the half.
After three ties, the Cougars went ahead permanently on Mike Wilson's three-pointer that made it 28-27 with 3:12 on the clock.
The Highlanders, who committed 29 turnovers and allowed Chicago State to get 19 offensive rebounds in the Cougars' 85-69 win in the first meeting between the teams on January 31 in Chicago, addressed both issues in Saturday's opening half.
NJIT committed eight turnovers and limited the aggressive Cougars to five offensive rebounds in the opening 20 minutes, resulting in a close halftime score, with Chicago State leading, 36-32. Jheryl Wilson was game-high scorer at the break with 16 points and Chicago State's Wilson, Mike, led the Cougars with 10.
The Highlanders will play the rest of their four February games on the road starting with a contest on Tuesday at 7 pm in Smithfield, RI, at Bryant.
