NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of fortune, the Albany Great Danes overcame a double-digit halftime deficit with a dominant second-half performance to defeat the NJIT Highlanders 81-63 in an America East Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Fleisher Athletic Center.

The game’s defining stretch was a complete and overwhelming defensive turnaround by Albany after the break. The Great Danes, who trailed 42-32 at halftime after allowing NJIT to shoot 50 percent from the field in the opening period, transformed into a defensive juggernaut in the second half. They held the Highlanders to just 21 points on 29 percent shooting, orchestrating a 28-2 run that spanned nearly 12 minutes and turned a 10-point deficit into a 16-point lead from which NJIT never recovered.

Albany guard Amir Lindsey, a sophomore from Framingham, Massachusetts, spearheaded the comeback, scoring 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. His driving layup with 18:23 remaining ignited the decisive run, and his 3-pointer with 11:21 to play capped it, giving Albany a 60-51 lead. Lindsey added five assists and played a pivotal role in disrupting NJIT’s backcourt after halftime.

The Highlanders, who entered the game with a 15-12 record and were projected as a 75.7 percent favorite by analytics systems, saw their offense completely stall against Albany’s intensified pressure. After a first half where Sebastian Robinson of Montclair, New Jersey, scored 14 of his 18 points, NJIT committed 10 second-half turnovers and managed only seven field goals. Albany’s length, particularly from forwards Okechukwu Okeke and Tarique Foster, altered countless shots, with the duo combining for five blocks.

Okeke, a 6-foot-10 junior from East Chicago, Indiana, was a force on both ends, finishing with 15 points, three blocks and a game-high nine rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. His early dunk off the opening tip set a physical tone, and his presence inside was central to Albany’s second-half lockdown.

Jaden Kempson, a guard from the Bronx, New York, provided crucial scoring support with 16 points, including three 3-pointers, and added three assists and two blocks. His back-to-back plays—a steal and an assist on a Lindsey layup, followed by a defensive rebound and a 3-pointer—were key moments during Albany’s game-changing surge.

For NJIT, Robinson’s 18 points led the way, and David Bolden of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, contributed 14 points. But the Highlanders’ offense, which had been fluid in building its halftime lead behind ball movement and transition opportunities, became stagnant and rushed against Albany’s renewed defensive focus. Jordan Rogers of Ridgewood, New Jersey, dished out five assists but was limited to nine points on 4-of-12 shooting.

The victory avenges a 77-68 home loss to NJIT just three weeks prior and marks a significant turnaround for Albany, which improved to 10-17 overall. The Great Danes showcased a resilience that has been inconsistent this season, flipping a script that saw them outscored by 10 in the first half to outscore the Highlanders by 28 in the second.

NJIT, which falls to 15-13, saw its two-game winning streak snapped and missed an opportunity to solidify its standing in the conference. The Highlanders were installed as a 2.5-point pregame favorite, but the total score of 144 fell under the over/under line of 143.5, largely due to their second-half scoring drought.

An announced crowd of 507 watched as Albany methodically dismantled NJIT’s attack after intermission. The Great Danes’ 49-point second half, fueled by defensive stops and efficient transition offense, stood in stark contrast to their own first-half struggles and ultimately delivered a decisive road conference win.