NJIT's 2nd-half rally leads to win in Atlantic Sun opener

Jan 5, 2019, 11:10 pm

NEWARK, N.J. -- Zach Cooks scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and Abdul Lewis and Diandre Wilson finished with 15 each to lead NJIT to a 72-52 victory over Kennesaw State on Saturday in an Atlantic Sun opener.

The Highlanders (13-3), coming off their best nonconference record in program history, improved to 6-1 at home with the victory over the Owls (3-13), who have lost three in a row.

The Highlanders shot 46 percent and made 10 of 25 from the arc for 40 percent. Lewis surpassed 1,000 points in his collegiate career.

Tyler Hooker scored 19 points and Bryson Lockley had 11 points and 14 rebounds for his third double-double this season for Kennesaw State, which shot just 30 percent and made only 3 of 12 from the 3-point line.

Hooker scored all the Owls' points in a 12-2 run to end the first half for a 30-23 lead, but an 18-4 run with nine points from Lewis and seven by Cooks put the Highlanders on top 53-39 and they remained ahead by double figures.