2014–15 NJIT Highlanders men's basketball team


The 2014–15 NJIT Highlanders men's basketball team represented the New Jersey Institute of Technology during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Highlanders, led by seventh year head coach Jim Engles, played their home games at the Fleisher Center and were in their second year as an Independent.

2014–15 NJIT Highlanders men's basketball
CIT, Semifinals
ConferenceIndependent
Record21–12
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaFleisher Center
Seasons
2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball independents standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
NJIT   21 12   .636

On December 6, 2014, NJIT defeated then-#17 Michigan in the program's first game against a top 25 team.[1]

After starting the season with 5 wins and 9 losses in their first 14 games, the Highlanders won 13 of their next 15 games to improve to 18–11 and earn an invitation to the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), the first Division I postseason berth in school history.[2] In the CIT, they defeated New Hampshire, Cleveland State, and Canisius to advance to the semifinals where they lost to Northern Arizona. They finished with a record of 21–12.

This was the Highlanders' final season as a Division I independent; as on July 1, 2015, NJIT joined the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Roster

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[3]

Number Name Position Height Weight Year Hometown
0 Ky Howard Guard 6–4 185 Junior Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2 Tim Coleman Guard 6–5 210 Sophomore Union, New Jersey
3 Chris Jenkins Guard/Forward 6–4 215 Sophomore Hillside, New Jersey
5 Damon Lynn Guard 5–11 165 Sophomore Hillside, New Jersey
10 Daquan Holiday Forward 6–8 205 Senior Allentown, Pennsylvania
11 Winfield Willis Guard 6–0 180 Junior Baltimore, Maryland
15 Terrence Smith Forward 6–6 195 Junior Fort Lauderdale, Florida
22 Odera Nweke Forward 6–5 220 Senior Richmond, Texas
23 Osa Izevbuwa Guard 6–3 230 Sophomore Staten Island, New York
24 Emmanuel Tselentakis Guard 6–5 205 Junior Thessaloniki, Greece
25 Rob Ukawuba Guard 6–3 210 Sophomore East Brunswick, New Jersey
33 Vlad Shustov Forward 6–10 225 RS Freshman Tomsk, Russia

Schedule

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Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular Season
11/14/2014*
7:00 pm, FSN
at St. John's L 58–77  0–1
Carnesecca Arena (4,703)
Queens, NY
11/17/2014*
7:00 pm
Maine W 90–86  1–1
Fleisher Center (775)
Newark, NJ
11/19/2014*
7:00 pm
at Albany L 48–65  1–2
SEFCU Arena (2,583)
Albany, NY
11/22/2014*
2:00 pm
UMass Lowell L 61–63  1–3
Fleisher Center (500)
Newark, NJ
11/24/2014*
9:00 pm, FS1
at Marquette L 57–62  1–4
BMO Harris Bradley Center (11,966)
Milwaukee, WI
11/29/2014*
2:00 pm
at Duquesne W 84–81  2–4
Palumbo Center (1,563)
Pittsburgh, PA
12/03/2014*
7:00 pm
at UMass Lowell L 67–71  2–5
Costello Athletic Center (387)
Lowell, MA
12/06/2014*
12:00 pm, BTN
at No. 17 Michigan W 72–70  3–5
Crisler Center (12,226)
Ann Arbor, MI
12/09/2014*
7:30 pm
St. Francis Brooklyn W 68–66  4–5
Fleisher Center (1,372)
Newark, NJ
12/12/2014*
7:00 pm
at Holy Cross L 66–76  4–6
Hart Center (1,674)
Worcester, MA
12/14/2014*
3:30 pm
at LIU Brooklyn L 49–65  4–7
Steinberg Wellness Center (1,419)
Brooklyn, NY
12/20/2014*
7:00 pm
at Central Connecticut W 84–76  5–7
William H. Detrick Gymnasium (1,117)
New Britain, CT
12/23/2014*
7:00 pm, FS1
at No. 7 Villanova L 67–92  5–8
The Pavilion (6,500)
Villanova, PA
12/28/2014*
2:00 pm
at Lafayette L 71–76  5–9
Kirby Sports Center (1,732)
Easton, PA
12/30/2014*
7:00 pm
Saint Francis (PA) W 77–65  6–9
Fleisher Center (704)
Newark, NJ
01/02/2015*
7:00 pm
at UMBC W 70–55  7–9
Retriever Activities Center (713)
Catonsville, MD
01/07/2015*
7:00 pm
Maryland Eastern Shore W 69–60  8–9
Fleisher Center (776)
Newark, NJ
01/09/2015*
7:00 pm
Yale W 78–71  9–9
Fleisher Center (780)
Newark, NJ
01/14/2015*
7:00 pm
St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) W 79–60  10–9
Fleisher Center (411)
Newark, NJ
01/17/2015*
4:00 pm
at Dartmouth L 53–62  10–10
Leede Arena (775)
Hanover, NH
01/19/2015*
1:00 pm
at Maine W 65–55  11–10
Cross Insurance Center (2,417)
Bangor, ME
01/25/2015*
3:00 pm
at South Alabama W 72–55  12–10
Mitchell Center (1,909)
Mobile, AL
02/02/2015*
7:00 pm
Hampton W 86–67  13–10
Fleisher Center (511)
Newark, NJ
02/03/2015*
7:30 pm
Delaware State W 69–51  14–10
Fleisher Center (937)
Newark, NJ
02/07/2015*
4:00 pm
Fisher W 96–70  15–10
Fleisher Center (600)
Newark, NJ
02/13/2015*
7:00 pm
Albany L 59–65  15–11
Fleisher Center (1,500)
Newark, NJ
02/16/2015*
7:00 pm
Maine–Fort Kent W 89–55  16–11
Fleisher Center (516)
Newark, NJ
02/28/2015*
2:00 pm
Sarah Lawrence W 90–55  17–11
Fleisher Center (505)
Newark, NJ
03/04/2015*
7:00 pm
at Howard W 71–62  18–11
Burr Gymnasium (705)
Washington, D.C.
CIT
03/16/2015*
7:00 pm
New Hampshire
First round
W 84–77  19–11
Fleisher Center (1,303)
Newark, NJ
03/23/2015*
7:00 pm
Cleveland State
Second round
W 80–77  20–11
Fleisher Center (1,404)
Newark, NJ
03/28/2015*
7:30 pm
Canisius
Quarterfinals
W 78–73  21–11
Fleisher Center (1,505)
Newark, NJ
03/31/2015*
9:00 pm, CBSSN
at Northern Arizona
Semifinals
L 61–68  21–12
Walkup Skydome (5,583)
Flagstaff, AZ
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

References

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  1. ^ How does NJIT beat Michigan?
  2. ^ Auerbach, Nicole (March 4, 2015). "Conference-less NJIT Earns Invitation to CIT". USA Today. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  3. ^ "NJIT Highlanders 2014-15 Men's Basketball Roster". njithighlanders.com. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  4. ^ "2014-15 Men's Basketball Schedule".