NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — The NJIT Highlanders used a dominant first-half performance and a commanding interior presence to cruise past the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks 81-56 in an America East Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Fleisher Athletic Center.

The Highlanders, who evened their season record at 12-12, built a 27-point halftime lead and never looked back, sweeping the season series from the River Hawks after a 73-64 win in Lowell on Jan. 15. Massachusetts-Lowell fell to 9-15.

The most critical phase of the game was its opening 15 minutes, where NJIT established a decisive and ultimately insurmountable advantage. After Massachusetts-Lowell’s Shawn Simmons opened the scoring with a layup, NJIT seized control with a 24-5 run over the next ten minutes. The Highlanders’ defense was stifling, forcing nine first-half turnovers which they converted into 12 points. Their offense was ruthlessly efficient in the paint, scoring 30 of their 42 first-half points near the basket.

French forward Melvyn Ebonkoli was the catalyst for NJIT during this pivotal stretch. The 6-foot-8 junior from Trappes scored 10 of his game-high 20 points in the first half, adding two blocks and setting a physical tone that Massachusetts-Lowell could not match. His early rejection of an Angel Montas layup and a subsequent block on a JJ Massaquoi attempt typified NJIT’s defensive dominance around the rim.

The River Hawks were plagued by cold shooting and ball-handling issues from the outset. They managed only 15 points in the first half, shooting a dismal percentage from the field while committing 11 turnovers. Their leading scorers, Simmons and Xavier Spencer, were held in check early, combining for just seven points before the break as the Highlanders built a 42-15 lead.

Massachusetts-Lowell showed more life in the second half, outscoring NJIT 41-39 behind 15 points from Spencer and 11 from Simmons after halftime. A 10-2 River Hawk run midway through the period, capped by a Darrel Yepdo layup, cut the deficit to 57-41, but they would draw no closer.

NJIT consistently answered every River Hawk push by exploiting its overwhelming advantages in key statistical categories. The Highlanders outscored Massachusetts-Lowell 50-26 in the paint, 21-8 on fast breaks, and 20-4 off turnovers. Their ball movement produced 17 assists on 32 made field goals.

Ebonkoli’s 20-point effort led four Highlanders in double figures. Ari Fulton, a 6-foot-7 forward from Fayetteville, North Carolina, added 18 points, while Quentin Duncan of Waterbury, Connecticut, contributed 13 off the bench. Jordan Rogers of Ridgewood, New Jersey, filled the stat sheet with 11 points, four assists and three blocks.

For Massachusetts-Lowell, Simmons and Spencer each finished with 15 points. Khalil Farmer added six points for the River Hawks, who have now lost four of their last five conference games.

The announced attendance at Fleisher Athletic Center was 181. The total score of 137 fell well under the over/under line of 148.5, largely due to Massachusetts-Lowell’s anemic first-half offensive output.

NJIT will look to build on the victory when it hosts Binghamton on Saturday. Massachusetts-Lowell continues its road trip at Albany on Saturday.