In a thrilling encounter on Thursday night, the Maine Black Bears edged out NJIT with a score of 78-74, largely thanks to AJ Lopez’s impressive performance, where he contributed 23 points.
Lopez showcased his skills by making 6 of 12 shots from the field. Although he didn’t convert any of his three attempts from beyond the arc, he excelled at the free-throw line, sinking 11 of his 12 attempts. This victory improved Maine’s record to 15-9 overall and 7-2 in the America East Conference.

Supporting Lopez was Kellen Tynes, who recorded 16 points along with three steals, highlighting his all-around game. Quion Burns also played a significant role, tallying 12 points after making 3 of 11 field goals, which included 2 out of 5 from three-point territory. Additionally, Burns excelled at the charity stripe, hitting all four of his free-throw attempts, while also grabbing nine rebounds.

On the opposite end of the court, Sebastian Robinson led the Highlanders with 16 points, while adding eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals to his impressive stat line. NJIT received further contributions from Ari Fulton and Tim Moore, who both chipped in with 12 points each.

Looking ahead, both teams are scheduled to take the court again on Saturday. Maine will be hosting UMBC, and NJIT is set to travel to face New Hampshire.