Men's Basketball January 22, 2020 Athletic Communications

Surging Hatters Host NJIT on Thursday

After a successful road trip last weekend, Stetson men's basketball returns home on Thursday for another ASUN Conference challenge when the Hatters host NJIT. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Stetson (9-11, overall, 3-2 ASUN) is suddenly in the thick of the ASUN race after road victories at North Alabama (54-49) and Jacksonville (64-59) last week. The Hatters are tied for third – with NJIT – in the ASUN standings as the season nears the end of January.

Kenny Aninye led the Hatters at Jacksonville with a career-high tying 15 points, making 6 of 8 shots including all three of his 3-point attempts. Rob Perry was driving offensive force at North Alabama with a team-high 18 points, and he earned ASUN Newcomer of the Week honors for his play for the weekend.

But Stetson's defensive effort was the star in both games. Against UNA, the Hatters limited the Lions to 13 points in the first half. At Jacksonville, Stetson kept JU to 35 percent shooting in the second half. Both teams were held to sub-38 percent shooting overall, and the Hatters forced UNA and JU into a combined 10 of 47 (.213) shooting from 3-point range.

NJIT (6-12, 3-2) offers a different challenge, as the Highlanders are led by ASUN scoring leader Zach Cooks and his 19.3 points-per-game average. As a team, the Highlanders have won three straight games as they head south.

About the Game
•The Hatters and Highlanders will meet for the 10th time on Thursday. NJIT currently owns a 5-4 advantage in the series, which began in 2016.
•Stetson and NJIT have taken turns sweeping each other over the last two seasons, with NJIT winning twice last season.
•Stetson has lost four consecutive games at home, including two ASUN games by a combined 7 points. The Hatters haven't lost 5 in-a-row at Edmunds Center since the 2015-16 season.

Under the Hat
•After failing to win a single game away from home during the 2018-19 season, the Hatters are an impressive 6-6 in games played on the road or at neutral sites this season. Stetson is 3-0 in ASUN road games. Last Saturday, the Hatters kept their road winning streak alive with a 64-59 win a Jacksonville, their first win at Swisher Gym since 2006.
•Lost in the huzzah over Saturday's streak-busting win at Jacksonville was the play of Kenny Aninye. The junior point guard tied a career high with 15 points, going 6 of 8 from the field and connecting on all 3 of his 3-point attempts.
•In two games last week, freshman Joel Kabimba grabbed 15 rebounds, scored 16 points and made a pair of three-pointers
•Rob Perry (15.6) and Mahamadou Diawara (12.9) continue to be the highest-scoring freshman tandem in the ASUN Conference at a combined 28.5 points per game. Perry is 11th nationally among all freshmen, and his 34 points at Western Illinois on Nov. 9 is the 2nd-best single-game effort by a freshman this season.
•The Hatters made some history on Dec. 17 when five freshmen (Diawara, Ivery, Kabimba, Panzo, Perry) were in the starting lineup at UNC Asheville, for what's believed to be the first time in program history. The Hatters regularly started four freshmen during the 2010-11 season but research has not yet turned up another all-freshman starting five.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Kenny Aninye: G; 6' 1"; Junior

#15 Mahamadou Diawara: F/C; 6' 10"; Freshman

#35 Joel Kabimba: F; 6' 8"; Freshman

#2 Rob Perry: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#10 Kenny Aninye
: 6' 1"; Junior
: G

#15 Mahamadou Diawara
: 6' 10"; Freshman
: F/C

#35 Joel Kabimba
: 6' 8"; Freshman
: F

#2 Rob Perry
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G

Stetson University Athletics

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Surging Hatters Host NJIT on Thursday

Players Mentioned

#10 Kenny Aninye

#15 Mahamadou Diawara

#35 Joel Kabimba

#2 Rob Perry

Players Mentioned

#10 Kenny Aninye

#15 Mahamadou Diawara

#35 Joel Kabimba

#2 Rob Perry