Holy Cross at NJIT, 2:00PM Eastern, No TV
The SCGD is moving off the beaten trail today to turn our attention back to the one team that started the season having already clinched a title. NJIT has already locked up the best record among all Independents…by virtue of being the lone Division I Independent. NJIT plays its last home game of the 2013 calendar year tonight when the Highlanders welcome in the Holy Cross Crusaders.
NJIT enters today’s game at 6-6 overall though their best wins to date are a sweep of a home and home with Maine and a win over Lafayette. After today, 8 of their next 9 will be on the road, with only a home game against CCNY before welcoming in Duquesne on January 29. This stretch of 10 games will go a long way to determining if the Highlanders can achieve a .500 season. A .500 record could mean a lot to this program as it could very well bring with it a bid to the CIT tournament (the CIT took a .500 Independent Cal State-Bakersfield team a few years back). Of course, this time next year NJIT hopes to be preparing for conference play assuming they can obtain membership in the America East, Northeast, Metro Atlantic or the like.
Holy Cross enters today’s game with a 5-5 record, though 3 of those five losses have been to North Carolina, Harvard and Belmont. The Crusaders are looking to break a two game losing streak today before their last non-conference game next Saturday at Michigan. Holy Cross has played well enough so far this year that, at least at this point, it appears they will be a factor in the Patriot League title chase along with Bucknell, Boston U, and possibly Lafayette. Barring a major upset at Michigan next weekend, Holy Cross needs this game to be at .500 heading into league play.