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Colgate University Athletics

Sean O'Brien NJIT
Bob Cornell
76
NJIT NJIT 5-6
87
Winner Colgate COLGATE 4-6
NJIT NJIT
5-6
76
Final
87
Colgate COLGATE
4-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
NJIT NJIT 36 40 76
Colgate COLGATE 42 45 87

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Chelsea Vielhauer

Raiders Remain Unbeaten At Home With 87-76 Win Over NJIT

Five Raiders Score in Double-Figures In Full Team Effort

Photo Gallery

HAMILTON – A balanced attack led the Colgate men's basketball team past NJIT 87-76 Tuesday night at Cotterell Court as Colgate shot a season-high 60 percent from the field and five Raiders scored in double-figures.
 
Colgate closed the game on a 20-7 run in the final five minutes to lock up the big home victory as the Raiders improve to 4-0 at home for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
 
Senior Sean O'Brien led the Raider scoring with 21 points, while sophomore Will Rayman followed with 18 and first-year Jordan Burns tallied 17. Junior Malcolm Regisford and first-year Jack Ferguson added 10 apiece to round out the Raider double-digit contingent. .
 
The lead changed hands several times in the opening minutes before eight points from Ferguson and a Rayman jumper comprised a 10-3 Colgate run that gave the Raiders a 21-14 advantage with the clock at 8:07.
 
The Highlanders cut the Raider advantage to one with six-straight points before three-straight jumpers from Burns were followed by four consecutive O'Brien free throws and Colgate took its largest lead of the half at 31-22 with under four minutes to play.32372
 
NJIT clawed its way back within two in the final minute, but a Rayman layup and pair of Ferguson free throws ended the term as Colgate carried a 42-36 lead into the locker room.
 
O'Brien scored Colgate's first six points of the second half and Swopshire added a trey to give the Raiders their largest lead yet at 51-41 with 15:17 to play. NJIT answered once again, this time with a 9-2 streak that trimmed Colgate's advantage to 53-50 with just over 12 minutes on the clock.
 
The Raiders were back ahead by five at 57-52, but NJIT tallied nine of the next 11 points to jump in front for the first time since the opening half at 61-59. The game of runs continued as the teams exchanged leads until Colgate turn a 69-67 deficit into a 77-69 lead thanks to an 10-0 run. O'Brien banked in a three before junior Francisco Amiel snatched a steal and drained another trey. Junior Dana Batt followed with a layup before Rayman threw down an emphatic dunk that put the Raider lead at eight with 1:42 to play.
 
The Colgate defense locked down in the final two minutes and the Raiders made timely shots down the stretch. Colgate didn't allow NJIT to get closer than five the rest of the way as the Raiders pulled away for the 87-76 victory.
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BOTTOM LINE
  • Colgate 87, NJIT 76
 
WON-LOST RECORDS
  • The Raiders improve to 4-6 on the season. Colgate is 4-0 at home for the first time in six years.
  • NJIT falls to 5-6 overall.
 
KEY RAIDER INFO
  • O'Brien's 21 points came by way of a 6-for-8 clip from the field and an 8-for-10 showing from the free throw line.
  • Rayman finished 7-for-10 from the field with two big dunks for his 18 points.
  • Burns shot 7-for-11 en route to his 17-point performance. The rookie added a team-best five assists.
  • Regisford was a perfect 4-for-4 as he tallied a season-high 10 points. The junior also pulled down a team-best six rebounds.
  • Ferguson notched his fourth double-digit scoring game of the season.
 
FACTS & FIGURES
  • Colgate's season-high shooting percentage of 60.0 percent (30-for-50) was accompanied by a 37.5 percent (6-for-16) clip from three-point range.
  • The Raiders recorded a season-high six blocks. Rayman and Swopshire tallied two apiece.
  • Colgate made a season-best 21 free throws. The Raiders finished 21-for-25 (84.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
  • The Raiders held NJIT to a 44.4 percent (28-for-63) mark from the field, 39.1 percent (9-for-23) showing from downtown and 73.3 percent (11-for-15) mark from the free throw line.
  • Colgate scored 21 points off 18 NJIT turnovers.
  • The Highlanders held a slim 31-28 rebound edge.
 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel
  • "NJIT is a tough team. They play a brand of basketball that constantly harasses you on the defensive end. They've got ball hawk guards who really get after and put pressure on the ball. It bothered us, but fortunately we made enough good plays and settled in."
  • "We had our hands full, but I'm proud of our guys and the job we did to lock in and focus on what the game plan was."
  • "We have a lot of weapons. The way we play best is when we take what the defense gives us. Our offense is best when we have a lot of weapons and they're all contributing."
  • "It's good to go into exams with a good feeling about our team and about our play. Our guys have to bear down and do a good job with their studies before they turn their focus back to basketball."
 
UP NEXT
  • The Raiders will now take 10 days off from competition for final exams.
  • Colgate gets back to the hardwood on Friday, Dec. 22, when the Raiders host Pitt-Bradford in the final non-league game of the 2017-18 season.
  • Tipoff on Dec. 22 is set for 2 p.m.
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