Newark, NJ – It's hard to believe that Lateef Johnson Jr. scored 23 points in his first basketball game in over nine months and did so against a Division 1 opponent, but the junior from Troy made it happen as the SUNY Canton men's basketball team was battle-tested yet resilient in a 95-60 exhibition loss to D-I foe - the NJIT Highlanders Monday night.

THE BASICS

• Result: NJIT 95, SUNY Canton 60
• Location: Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center – Newark, NJ
• Records: SUNY Canton (1-6) | NJIT (5-9)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Roos made quite a statement early on, scoring seven of the first eight points with Lateef Johnson Jr. going for five in his first game of the season.
• The Highlanders regrouped and took the lead, but Eugene Johnson Jr. scored three points in a pair of possessions to make the game 14-12 with 12:49 left to play.
• Lateef Johnson Jr. buried a jumper and hit two free throws late in the half, but other than that, it was all NJIT as the home team kicked it into high gear on a 32-11 run to conclude the half.
• The Highlanders led 46-23 at the midway point with Lateef Johnson Jr. accounting for 16 of the 23 SUNY Canton points.
• The Roos were right up there with the highlanders to begin the second half with NJIT outscoring SUNY Canton only 18-15 through the first 7:30. Both Johnson Jr.'s were rocking, combining for 11 of the Roos 15 points.
• Six different players scored in the final ten minutes of the game, including a couple of threes by Kolton Castrello and one from Brett Larson against the Division-1 hosts, but the Highlanders dribbled it out to take the 95-60 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lateef Johnson Jr. ended the night with 23 points on 8-for-17 shooting. The newcomer also led the Roos with six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
• Eugene Johnson Jr. also had a big night with 13 points and five boards against the high-level competition and Bryon Streb pitched in with five rebounds as well.
• 12 different Highlanders recorded points in NJIT's win, led by Sebastian Robinson who paced the team with 21 points and eight rebounds.
• The Roos actually outshot the Highlanders (40.4% for SUNY Canton – 39.5% for NJIT) although the size for NJIT proved lethal as the Highlanders grabbed 22 offensive rebounds which led to 24 more shot attempts for the hosts. Another big factor was the turnovers which the Highlanders won 25-11, leading to 28 NJIT points while SUNY Canton only had eight off of turnovers.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
SUNY Canton will return to D-III play this weekend fresh out of the New Year as they head east to play the VTSU Castleton Spartans on Friday, January 2 at 3 p.m.
   

Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 23 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.