WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — A hot-shooting second half led NJIT past the Hartford men's basketball team, 67-57, in the first-ever meeting between the two schools as conference mates on Saturday inside Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion. The Highlanders (7-8 overall), who went 60.9 percent from the field in the final stanza, improve to 6-7 in America East play, while the Hawks (10-8) fall to 7-6 in the league.
 
PHOTO GALLERY



NJIT 67, HARTFORD 57
NJIT opened up the game hot, making its first four shots from the field — including a pair of three-pointers — to run out to a 12-5 lead with 16:35 left. But the Hawks responded, using a 10-2 rally to take their first advantage of the game at 15-14. After the two sides exchanged points for most of the half, Hartford scored 10 of the final 11 points of the stanza to head into halftime on top, 35-28.
 
The Hawks spotted the Highlanders a pair of free throws to start the second, but quickly scored their first double-digit lead of the game at 40-30 with five unanswered points. NJIT came storming back, though, scoring 16-unanswered points to run away with the game. 
 
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• The defeat marked Hartford's first of the season inside Reich Family Pavilion, as the Hawks entered the contest with a 6-0 record
• Hunter Marks recorded a double-double for the second time in three games, and the third time this season
• Pulling down a game- and season-high 12 rebounds, he added 10 points and four assists
• Webley, who registered a personal-best eight rebounds, tied his career high in scoring with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field
• Mitchell caught fire from behind the arc, making 5-of-6 threes while finishing 6-for-7 from the floor for a team-high 17 points
• Mitchell was the only Hawk with a hot hand from three, though, as the rest of the team combined for a 3-for-28 effort from behind the arc
• NJIT shot 51.0 percent from the floor (25-of-49), including 7-of-17 from three (41.2%)
• The Highlanders scored 25 points off of 17 Hawks' turnovers
• Hartford closed out the game shooting 37.9 percent from the field (22-of-58), but just 23.5 percent from three (8-of-34)

 
NEXT ON TAP
The Hawks and Highlanders conclude their two-game set Sunday, with a 2 p.m. start time from Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion on ESPN3.