Cooks leads with 22 points, NJIT beats LIU Brooklyn 77-70

Nov 24, 2018, 04:41 pm

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Zach Cooks scored 22 points with five rebounds, three assists and three steals as NJIT beat LIU Brooklyn 77-70 on Saturday.

Cooks was 6 of 11 from the field and 8 of 10 from the line for the Highlanders (5-1). San Antonio Brinson added 15 points and seven rebounds, Diandre Wilson scored 13 points with four rebounds and Abdul Lewis had 12 points and eight rebounds.

The Highlanders capped a 12-6 start with a Cooks jumper and stretched their lead to 43-30 at the break.

Raiquan Clark scored 12 points in the first six minutes of the second half to help the Blackbirds (3-2) close to 58-54 with 14:05 to play. Lewis and Shyquan Gibbs sank back-to-back layups and Cooks drained two foul shots to help the Highlanders extend it to 70-60 with 6:26 left and they led the rest of the way.

Clark finished with 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Blackbirds.