UAlbany Great Danes Defeat NJIT Highlanders 81-63
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 7:00 PM ET · Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center
UAlbany Great Danes 81, NJIT Highlanders 63, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won UAlbany Great Danes vs NJIT Highlanders?
UAlbany Great Danes beat NJIT Highlanders 81-63 at Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center on February 19, 2026.
Who was favored in UAlbany Great Danes vs NJIT Highlanders?
NJIT Highlanders were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -185 (about 65% implied). The underdog won.
In a decisive victory, the UAlbany Great Danes defeated the NJIT Highlanders 81-63 at the Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center on February 20, 2026. This game was significant as it showcased UAlbany's ability to bounce back after a challenging season, improving their record to 11-17, while NJIT fell to 15-14.
UAlbany's recent form had shown signs of improvement, with a record of 6-4 over their last ten games. They entered this matchup on a one-game winning streak, having recently secured a victory against the Binghamton Bearcats, winning 77-74 on February 14. Their scoring average over the last ten games was 69.0 points per game, while they allowed an average of 67.0 points. In contrast, NJIT had been in excellent form, boasting an 8-2 record in their last ten games, including a six-game winning streak prior to this defeat. The Highlanders averaged 74.9 points scored and allowed 67.3 during this stretch.
At home, NJIT had a record of 3-1 in their last four games, while UAlbany had a mixed record of 3-3 in their last six away games. The two teams had met earlier in the season on January 29, 2026, where NJIT had triumphed 77-68. Historically, UAlbany now leads the head-to-head record against NJIT, with the overall record standing at 2-1 in favor of UAlbany for the current season.
In terms of injuries, the block did not provide specific details about player availability for either team, which could have influenced the game's outcome. The betting market, as reported by DraftKings, had NJIT favored by 3.5 points, with a total set at 142.5. The home moneyline was priced at -185.0 for NJIT, while UAlbany was listed at +154.0.
The conditions during the game were not detailed in the block, but the atmosphere in the venue likely contributed to the performance of both teams. As the game progressed, UAlbany's offensive strategy proved effective, particularly in the second half, where they pulled away decisively. Key scoring plays included a layup by Ma'Kye Taylor and a three-point jumper by John Kelly, which highlighted UAlbany's offensive prowess.
Overall, viewers should have noted the contrasting styles of both teams, with NJIT relying on their recent scoring averages and UAlbany showcasing resilience and improved teamwork in their successful campaign against their rivals.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | NJIT -3.5 | 142.5 o -112 / u -108 | UAlbany Great Danes +154 · NJIT Highlanders -185 |
Leaders
- PointsSebastian Robinson18NJIT Highlanders
- AssistsJordan Rogers5NJIT Highlanders
- ReboundsJordan Rogers6NJIT Highlanders
- PointsAmir Lindsey22UAlbany Great Danes
- AssistsAmir Lindsey5UAlbany Great Danes
- ReboundsOkechukwu Okeke11UAlbany Great Danes
Recent form
NJIT Highlanders
Last 10: 8-2Streak W674.9 scored · 67.3 allowed per game3-1 at home
- W67-58at Maine Black BearsFeb 14
- W76-70at New Hampshire WildcatsFeb 12
- W73-64vs Binghamton BearcatsFeb 7
- W81-56vs UMass Lowell River HawksFeb 6
- W79-77at Vermont CatamountsJan 31
- W77-68at UAlbany Great DanesJan 29
- L74-87at UMBC RetrieversJan 22
- W79-55vs Bryant BulldogsJan 19
- W73-64at UMass Lowell River HawksJan 15
- L70-74vs Maine Black BearsJan 10
UAlbany Great Danes
Last 10: 5-5Streak W169 scored · 67 allowed per game2-2 away
- W77-74at Binghamton BearcatsFeb 14
- L79-89vs UMass Lowell River HawksFeb 8
- W65-63at Bryant BulldogsFeb 5
- L65-68vs UMBC RetrieversFeb 1
- L68-77vs NJIT HighlandersJan 29
- L72-80at New Hampshire WildcatsJan 24
- L49-52at Maine Black BearsJan 22
- W75-68vs Vermont CatamountsJan 19
- W69-53vs Binghamton BearcatsJan 15
- W71-46vs Bryant BulldogsJan 10
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| UMBC | 24-9 | - | 14-2 |
| Vermont | 22-12 | 2 | 12-4 |
| NJIT | 16-17 | 4 | 10-6 |
| UMass Lowell | 15-18 | 5 | 9-7 |
| UAlbany | 11-21 | 7 | 7-9 |
| Maine | 8-24 | 8 | 6-10 |
| New Hampshire | 9-21 | 9 | 5-11 |
| Bryant | 9-22 | 9 | 5-11 |
| Binghamton | 8-23 | 10 | 4-12 |
Box score
| Stat | UAlbany Great Danes | NJIT Highlanders |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 29-58 | 24-59 |
| Field goal % | 50 | 41 |
| Three-pointers | 9-16 | 5-21 |
| Three-point % | 56 | 24 |
| Free throws | 14-18 | 10-16 |
| Free throw % | 78 | 63 |
| Rebounds | 38 | 30 |
| Offensive rebounds | 16 | 14 |
| Defensive rebounds | 22 | 16 |
| Assists | 16 | 12 |
| Steals | 5 | 5 |
| Blocks | 7 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 9 | 7 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 12 | 11 |
| Fast-break points | 12 | 6 |
| Points in the paint | 40 | 36 |
| Fouls | 15 | 15 |
| Largest lead | 20 | 12 |
| Lead changes | 4 | 4 |
| Time in front | 44 | 48 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half35-42Tarique Foster makes 27-foot three point jumper (Amir Lindsey assists)
- 2nd Half35-44Melvyn Ebonkoli makes layup
- 2nd Half37-44Amir Lindsey makes 7-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half39-44Amir Lindsey makes driving layup (Jaden Kempson assists)
- 2nd Half39-46Jordan Rogers makes layup
- 2nd Half42-46Jaden Kempson makes 27-foot three point jumper (Okechukwu Okeke assists)
- 2nd Half42-48Jordan Rogers makes 8-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half44-48Okechukwu Okeke makes layup
- 2nd Half46-48Isaac Abidde makes layup (Jaden Kempson assists)
- 2nd Half46-50David Bolden makes 8-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half46-51David Bolden makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half48-51Amir Lindsey makes driving layup (Tarique Foster assists)
- 2nd Half48-52Sebastian Robinson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half48-54Malachi Arrington makes 4-foot alley oop dunk (Jordan Rogers assists)
- 2nd Half49-54Amir Lindsey makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half50-54Amir Lindsey makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-54Tarique Foster makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half52-54Tarique Foster makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half53-54Okechukwu Okeke makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half54-54Okechukwu Okeke makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half57-54Amir Lindsey makes 25-foot three point jumper (Isaac Abidde assists)
- 2nd Half57-55David Bolden makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half57-56David Bolden makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half58-56Amir Lindsey makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half59-56Amir Lindsey makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half62-56Jaden Kempson makes 24-foot three point jumper (Amir Lindsey assists)
- 2nd Half64-56Ma'Kye Taylor makes layup
- 2nd Half64-57Sebastian Robinson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half67-57Tarique Foster makes 25-foot three point jumper (Ma'Kye Taylor assists)
- 2nd Half70-57Amir Lindsey makes 25-foot three point jumper (Jaden Kempson assists)
- 2nd Half71-57Ma'Kye Taylor makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half73-57Ma'Kye Taylor makes 2-foot dunk
- 2nd Half74-57Jaden Kempson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half76-57Ma'Kye Taylor makes layup
- 2nd Half76-60John Kelly makes 24-foot three point jumper (Sebastian Robinson assists)
- 2nd Half76-61John Kelly makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half77-61Tarique Foster makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half79-61Okechukwu Okeke makes 3-foot dunk
- 2nd Half81-61Okechukwu Okeke makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half81-63Rocco Awad makes 19-foot jumper
Win probability
Above the line favours NJIT Highlanders, below favours UAlbany Great Danes.
Venue
- Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events CenterNewark, NJ
- Attendance507
- OfficialsAdam Vandenburgh, Michael Nardone, Steven Perry Jr.
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond