NJIT hosts UMBC following King's 24-point game

Audio By Carbonatix

UMBC Retrievers (20-8, 13-2 America East) at NJIT Highlanders (15-15, 10-5 America East)

Newark, New Jersey; Tuesday, 6 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: UMBC visits NJIT after Jah'likai King scored 24 points in UMBC's 84-60 victory over the UMass-Lowell River Hawks.

The Highlanders are 7-5 in home games. NJIT ranks fifth in the America East in rebounding with 31.7 rebounds. Ari Fulton paces the Highlanders with 6.4 boards.

The Retrievers are 13-2 in America East play. UMBC is the America East leader with 25.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Jose Roberto Tanchyn averaging 4.1.

NJIT averages 68.2 points per game, 0.5 more points than the 67.7 UMBC gives up. UMBC has shot at a 46.8% clip from the field this season, 3.7 percentage points above the 43.1% shooting opponents of NJIT have averaged.

The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. UMBC won the last meeting 87-74 on Jan. 22. Anthony Valentine scored 19 points to help lead the Retrievers to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Sebastian Robinson is shooting 44.1% and averaging 14.5 points for the Highlanders. Fulton is averaging 12.8 points over the last 10 games.

King is scoring 14.2 points per game and averaging 3.5 rebounds for the Retrievers. Valentine is averaging 12.2 points and 3.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Highlanders: 6-4, averaging 70.6 points, 31.3 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.0 points per game.

Retrievers: 9-1, averaging 73.9 points, 33.8 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 4.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 61.4 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.