NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — NJIT used a dominant first half and superior interior play to defeat Massachusetts-Lowell 81-56 in an America East Conference men’s basketball game Thursday at Fleisher Athletic Center.

The Highlanders built a 42-15 halftime lead and never looked back, outscoring the River Hawks 50-26 in the paint and converting 20 points off turnovers. Melvyn Ebonkoli led NJIT with 20 points, while Ari Fulton added 18. Quentin Duncan contributed 13 points.

The River Hawks showed life after halftime, scoring 41 second-half points, but the early deficit proved insurmountable. NJIT improved to 12-12 overall, while Massachusetts-Lowell fell to 9-15.