Newark, N.J. — A game that started well for the Fighting Sioux men's basketball team did not end that way as UND dropped a 65-49 Great West contest to NJIT on Thursday at the Fleisher Athletic Center. The Highlanders (10-12, 4-1 GWC) regrouped after the break, outscoring UND (11-11, 4-2 GWC) by 18 points in the final 20 minutes to overcome what was once a double-digit deficit.

Freshmen Troy Huff (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Jamal Webb (Buffalo, N.Y.) combined for seven 3-pointers in the contest, scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively, to lead the Sioux in scoring. 

However, it was the home team's three-point shooting in the second half coupled with a season-high 24 turnovers by the Sioux that ultimately led the Highlanders back after UND opened the game on an 11-1 run. 

Junior Isaiah Willkerson and reserve guard Arjun Ohri each buried a trio of three pointers in the second stanza to help lead the comeback on the offensive end for NJIT. Wilkerson tallied 16 of his game-high 21 points in the stanza as the Highlanders more than doubled their first-half point total with 47 after the break. 

“We just did not regroup after they made the run to get back in it before the half,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “They came out and made some big shots to keep the momentum after halftime and we just could not get anything going. 

“We made it hard on ourselves though too. It is hard to win on the road when you turn the ball over 24 times and only make it to the free throw line for 12 attempts.” 

The young Sioux squad appeared poised in the opening five minutes of the game as NJIT did not hit a field goal until Chris Flores sank a jumper at the 15-minute mark. 

Five different Sioux players made a bucket in that opening stretch, but both teams went cold with UND eventually taking just a 20-18 advantage into halftime. 

Junior Patrick Mitchell (Des Moines, Iowa) made his only two field goal attempts before halftime, but the rest of the squad was just 3-of-12 after the quick start to prevent the Sioux from taking an even larger advantage into the lockerroom. Mitchell finished with eight points and a game-high seven rebounds.

NJIT had 12 more field-goal attempts, but the Highlanders went just 6-of-30 in the opening 20 minutes to keep it a low-scoring contest.   

Wilkerson and Ohri made sure the poor shooting did not continue for the home team as the duo went 6-for-10 from deep to keep the Highlanders within percentage points of Utah Valley for the top spot in the Great West standings. 

Free-throw shooting also cost the Sioux as the visitors made just five of their 12 attempts, while NJIT went 18-for-26 from the line.

The Sioux remain on the road for a quick turnaround as they play at Chicago State on Saturday afternoon.  Tip-off is slated for 4:30 p.m.

– Go Sioux –