Columbia holds off NJIT 65-56

NEW YORK (AP) Maodo Lo scored 20 points, including three 3-pointers, as Columbia held off a late rally to defeat NJIT 65-56 Saturday night.

The game matched teams scoring close to 80 points per game, but neither shot better than 39 percent Saturday. Columbia (7-5) opened a 20-point lead in the second half, 58-38, capped by a Luke Petrasek 3-pointer with 9:27 left.

But the Highlanders (6-5) reeled 11 unanswered points over the next two minutes to cut the gap in half.

Ky Howard scored 23 points for the second straight game, matching his career and season bests. He also added seven assists before fouling out with 2:14 remaining, after scoring two buckets in a 5-1 flurry.

Rob Ukawuba missed a 3-pointer that could have pulled NJIT to 63-57 with 1:31 to play, and Lukas Meisner dunked on the other end, extending the lead to 63-54.