# 2020–21 NJIT Highlanders men's basketball team

The 2020–21 NJIT Highlanders men's basketball team represented the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Highlanders, led by fifth-year head coach Brian Kennedy, played their home games at the Wellness and Events Center in Newark, New Jersey as first-year members of the America East Conference. In a season limited by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they finished the season 7–12, 6–10 in America East play to finish in eighth place. They lost to Albany in the first round of the America East tournament.

## Previous season

The Highlanders finished the 2019–20 season 9–21, 6–10 in ASUN play to finish in eighth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the ASUN tournament to Liberty.
This was the final season the Highlanders were a member of the ASUN. On June 14, 2020, it was announced that they would become a full member of the America East Conference beginning July 1.

## Schedule and results

On November 25, 2020, NJIT paused activities following positive Covid-19 tests and canceled all non-conference games that the school had not yet announced.
| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| December 19, 2020* 4:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at Temple | L 60–72 | 0–1 | Liacouras Center Philadelphia, PA |
| December 23, 2021* 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Rider | W 81–66 | 1–1 | Alumni Gymnasium Lawrenceville, NJ |
| America East regular season ||||||
| December 27, 2020 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Vermont | L 78–92 | 1–2 (0–1) | Patrick Gym Burlington, VT |
| December 28, 2020 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Vermont | W 81–80 $^{2OT}$ | 2–2 (1–1) | Patrick Gym Burlington, VT |
| January 2, 2021 3:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at UMass Lowell | W 73–67 | 3–2 (2–1) | Costello Athletic Center Lowell, MA |
| January 3, 2021 1:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at UMass Lowell | L 60–74 | 3–3 (2–2) | Costello Athletic Center Lowell, MA |
| January 9, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Maine | W 63–54 | 4–3 (3–2) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| January 10, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Maine | L 41–45 | 4–4 (3–3) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| January 16, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Albany | L 75–83 | 4–5 (3–4) | SEFCU Arena Albany, NY |
| January 17, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Albany | L 71–83 | 4–6 (3–5) | SEFCU Arena Albany, NY |
| January 23, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Stony Brook | W 74–65 | 5–6 (4–5) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| January 24, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Stony Brook | L 44–56 | 5–7 (4–6) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| January 31, 2021 12:00 pm, ESPN3 | | UMBC | W 69–65 | 6–7 (5–6) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| February 1, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | UMBC | L 71–75 | 6–8 (5–7) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| February 13, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Hartford | W 67–57 | 7–8 (6–7) | Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion West Hartford, CT |
| February 14, 2021 ESPN3 | | at Hartford | L 61–75 | 7–9 (6–8) | Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion West Hartford, CT |
| February 20, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Binghamton | L 63–76 | 7–10 (6–9) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| February 21, 2021 3:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Binghamton | L 58–72 | 7–11 (6–10) | Wellness and Events Center Newark, NJ |
| America East tournament ||||||
| February 27, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | (8) | (5) Albany First round | L 66–76 | 7–12 | Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion West Hartford, CT |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern. ||||||
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