Game 27	Vs North Florida (11-16, 5-7 ASUN)
Date | Time	Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 | 4 p.m. ET
Location | Arena	Newark, N.J. | Wellness and Events Center
Tickets	www.NJITtix.com | 973-596-5555
Live Video	ESPN+  | Mike Ventola (PBP) & Dave Calloway (Color)
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
All-time series	UNF Leads, 5-3
Game Notes	NJIT Notes (PDF)

 


NEWARK, N.J. — NJIT (18-8, 6-5 ASUN) takes on North Florida (11-16, 5-7 ASUN) in its twelfth ASUN game on Saturday, February 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET at the Wellness and Events Center. (TV: ESPN+)

TICKETS: North Florida vs. NJIT

NJIT looks to snap a three-game losing streak on Saturday after seeing its five-game winning streak end at Liberty.

The return home will be a welcome one for the Highlanders, who have not played at home since January 30.

NJIT has won three straight at the Wellness and Events Center and have not dropped a home game since January 16 against Lipscomb.

The Highlanders are 9-2 at home this season.

In NJIT's previous outing, the Highlanders fell in a nail biter at Florida Gulf Coast, 57-55.

Senior Abdul Lewis finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, followed by junior Shyquan Gibbs with 13 points.

Sophomore Zach Cooks ended with nine points and four steals.

Lewis, who earned ASUN Co-Player of the Week honors two weeks ago, is averaging a double-double in his last eight games with 121 points (15.1 ppg) and 88 rebounds (11.0 rpg) during the stretch.

All-Time Series: UNF Leads, 5-3

NJIT faces North Florida for the second time this season on Saturday.

Last time out on January 21, NJIT were victorious on the road, 76-72.

Abdul Lewis led the team with a double-double featuring 24 points and 18 rebounds. Zach Cooks finished with 18 points, three steals and the game-winning three pointer with 17 seconds remaining.

Diandre Wilson finished with 17 points on 5-9 field goals and three steals.

All-time, NJIT, which joined the ASUN Conference in 2015-16, is 24-29 against ASUN Conference opponents.

Since Jan. 8, 2011, NJIT has posted an impressive 141-122 (.536) overall record in its last 263 games after the Highlanders started their D-I era at 18-114 (.136).

The Highlanders have a current NCAA Net Ranking of 174 (as of February 13) and have appeared in "Others Receiving Votes" in the Associated Press Top-25 three weeks this season (Dec. 10-24) -- the first times in program history that NJIT has been recognized in the poll.

ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

After winning last year's ASUN Conference men's basketball championship title, Lipscomb was picked to repeat by the league's head coaches in the 2018-19. The Bisons garnered seven of nine first-place votes among the head coaches in the league, while also being selected first in the media poll.

Coincidentally, both polls featured identical rankings.

NJIT was selected sixth in the nine-member conference in both the ASUN Preseason Coaches and Media Polls as UNF was picked fourth behind Liberty with 61 points.

Lewis, an ASUN Conference second-team honoree last season was named to the 2018 ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.

North Florida Ospreys

North Florida (11-16) enters Saturday's game with a 5-7 record in the ASUN Conference having won back-to-back games after a six-game losing streak.

The Ospreys currently stand in seventh place of the ASUN behind Jacksonville (12-15, 5-7 ASUN) on overall record.

UNF's five conference wins include victories over Kennesaw State, FGCU, Stetson and North Alabama twice.

In their previous game, North Florida crushed Kennesaw State at home, 80-57, in a game that feature five double-digit scorers for the Ospreys.

Junior Noah Horchler leads UNF in scoring and ranks fourth in the ASUN with 16.0 ppg behind Zach Cooks (17.3 ppg).

As a team, leads the ASUN in rebounding offense (38.0), offensive rebounding percentage (.313) and stands second in the ASUN in three-point field goals made (9.1), assists (16.0) and blocked shots (5.1).

Next Up

The NJIT Highlanders remain at home in Newark, N.J., and will host Stetson on Wednesday, February 20, at 7 p.m. ET.

Tickets are available for purchase on www.NJITtix.com.