Rutgers holds off in-state NJIT, 73-64

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) Corey Sanders scored 18 points and Deshawn Freeman had 13 to lead Rutgers past NJIT 73-64 on Thursday night.

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Sanders was 8 of 15 from the floor and Freeman was 6-of-8 shooting. Eugene Omoruyi added 11 points and five rebounds off the bench for Rutgers (6-3).

NJIT (5-4) jumped out to a 7-0 less than four minutes into the game. Rutgers overcame the deficit by the midpoint of the first half, and things went back and forth before Rutgers took a 33-32 halftime lead.

Rutgers stretched the lead to 17 after Geo Baker made a 3-pointer with 8:58 remaining.

Anthony Tarke led NJIT with 19 points, 12 rebounds and four steals while Abdul Lewis chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds.

BIG PICTURE

NJIT: Just a few years removed from the longest active losing streak for a NCAA Division I team, the Highlanders missed out on the first 6-3 start in school history. With Rutgers and games against then-No. 19 Seton Hall and then-No. 18 West Virginia behind them, the Highlanders have several winnable games before ASUN Conference play starts.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights enter a reprieve after getting a taste of Big Ten play at No. 12 Minnesota and home against No. 3 Michigan State. With the back-to-back losses behind them, Rutgers can add a few more wins before conference play resumes with the remainder of the non-conference schedule against inferior opponents outside of No. 19 Seton Hall.

UP NEXT

NJIT host Iona on Saturday afternoon.

Rutgers hosts another intrastate team in Farleigh Dickinson on Saturday night.