NEWARK, N.J. – Rapolas Ivanauskas posted a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, and four Raiders scored in double figures but the Colgate men's basketball team could not complete the comeback in an 81-78 overtime loss to NJIT Tuesday night at the Wellness and Events Center.
The two teams went back-and-forth in the first half. Ivanauskas notched his first 3-pointer as a Raider to tie the game at 5-5, and then another trey from the junior forward drew the contest even at 12-12 just over four minutes into the game.
Both teams got off to a fast start as Colgate shot 11-of-22 (50 percent) from the field and 2-of-7 from beyond the arc in the first half. NJIT matched every Raider run and ultimately finished the half shooting 54.2 percent (13-of-24) from the field and 66.7 percent (6-of-9) from three-point range.
Jordan Burns drove the lane and finished with a layup before Ivanauskas continued his strength in the paint to give Colgate a 16-14 with just over 14 minutes left in the half.
After
Malcolm Regisford gave Colgate the lead 18-17 near the midpoint of the opening stanza, the Highlanders went on a 8-0 scoring run to eventually open a five-point lead, 25-20. Rayman later hit a pair of free throws to cut the margin back to three at 31-28, but NJIT responded and took a 36-30 lead into halftime.
Colgate continued to battle but NJIT opened a lead as large as nine (68-59) with just over six minutes left in regulation. The Raiders kept chipping away and Burns drained a three-pointer with 55 seconds left to cap an 11-2 run and tie the game at 70-70.
Jack Ferguson was unable to convert on a pair of free throws with six seconds left and
Francisco Amiel's layup rattled around the rim before getting knocked away as time expired with the game still locked at 70-70.
Colgate took the lead 72-70 with a pair of free throws from Rayman 18 seconds into overtime. Ivanauskas later put back his own rebound to pull the Raiders back ahead 74-73 as the two teams continued to trade baskets with just over three minutes left.
After
Tucker Richardson gave the Raiders a 76-75 advantage with just under two minutes left, NJIT went on a quick 4-0 scoring run to open the largest lead of overtime at 79-76.
Rayman brought Colgate back to within one at 79-78 with 11 seconds left, but a pair of NJIT free throws sealed the 81-78 victory for the Highlanders.
BOTTOM LINE
• NJIT 81, Colgate 78
FROM THE SOURCE
• Colgate head coach
Matt Langel:
"It is cliche, but winning on the road is tough to do. Tonight's game proved to be no different. It was a great environment against a well-coached team that played really hard. I thought we battled foul trouble to hang tough and give ourselves a great chance to win in regulation. Obviously we didn't get that done tonight, and credit goes to NJIT for making the shots and plays at critical points throughout the game that ended up being the difference."
FOR THE RECORD
• Colgate dropped to 0-1 on the young season.
• NJIT improved to 1-0.
KEY RAIDER NOTES
• Rayman led the Raiders scoring with 17 points and went 11-for-13 from the charity stripe.
• Ivanauskas posted 16 points, 13 boards, and two blocks in his Raider debut.
• Burns finished with 13 points, going 4-of-9 from the field and 1-for-4 from beyond the arc.
• Regisford sparked the Raiders off the bench with 10 points and a pair of rebounds.
• Richardson played 34 minutes in his first collegiate game, finishing with eight rebounds and four assists.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Colgate shot 47.2 percent (25-of-53) from the field, including a 59 percent clip (13-of-22) in the second half.
• The Raiders shot 4-of-7 from beyond the arc in the second half and finished 6-for-18 (33.3 percent) for the game.
• NJIT finished the game shooting 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the floor and went 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) from three-point range.
UP NEXT
• Colgate returns to action on Friday for its home opener against Monmouth.
• Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from Cotterell Court.
