NEWARK, N.J. – In its final regular season road game, the University of North Dakota men's basketball team fell victim to a hot-shooting New Jersey Institute of Technology squad, 91-73, on Sunday at the Fleisher Athletic Center. Four UND (8-20, 5-5 GWC) players reached double figures in the loss, which was their second straight road defeat in Great West play.
Senior Travis Bledsoe led the way with 21 points, which was his 10th straight double-figure scoring game and fifth straight 20-plus output. Redshirt freshman Jordan Allard (Fargo, N.D.) scored a career-high 15 points and went 9-for-10 from the foul line.
Senior Travis Mertens (Devils Lake, N.D.) went for 14 points, his highest output since scoring a career-high 19 points at IPFW on Dec. 12 and junior Derek Benter added 10 points off the bench for the Sioux.
“One thing that has been proven in year one of this league is that it is hard to go on the road and get a win,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “Give them credit, this was their building and they played extremely well.
“They created a little gap there midway through the first half and we just could not get back in it. We have to put these two games behind and focus on the two big games we have left at home.”
The Highlanders (9-18, 4-5 GWC) had five players reach double figures as they shot 51.9 percent from the floor. Junior Jheryl Wilson scored a game-high 24 points and sophomore Isaiah Wilkerson added 21 points. P.J. Miller scored 13 points and dished eight of the Highlanders' 20 assists.
A fast and furious opening four minutes saw the teams go into the first media timeout with NJIT holding a 14-11 advantage. The Highlanders kept that pace going, while the Sioux faltered.
The Highlanders built their lead in the early going thanks to an 8-for-10 start from the field and the Sioux kept it close with a 6-of-10 start, but the visitors cooled off, while the home team reeled off a 10-0 run to create separation.
The Sioux would make only 2-of-14 shots during the remainder of the half and did not convert a field goal in just over the final nine minutes of play. That allowed the Highlanders to build a 42-26 advantage at the break.
NJIT kept the momentum going in the second half and led by as many as 27 points before the Sioux settled down and went on a 24-12 run to put a little scare in the home team. UND got within 15 points with six minutes to play, but that would be as close as the Highlanders would let them get.
Miller, who came into the contest shooting just 44 percent from the foul line, went 7-for-7 on free throws, including six in a row in the final four minutes to help stave off any thoughts of a Sioux comeback.
Both teams shot 33 free throws with the Sioux making 26 and the Highlanders converting 24. NJIT held a 34-26 edge in rebounds with Wilson leading that effort with eight boards. He also added six assists.
Bledsoe added an 8-for-10 effort from the foul line and moved up two spots on the UND career scoring charts into 28th place (1,069 points).
The Sioux will return home for its final two regular season games next weekend. UND will play host to Houston Baptist on Thursday and Texas-Pan American on Sunday.
