Moore's Buzzer-Beater Lifts NJIT over Binghamton in Season Finale

Published: Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Tim Moore Jr. nailed a three-pointer jumper from the corner as time expired to give the Highlanders a dramatic 75-72 victory over Binghamton on Tuesday night. Moore finished the game with 22 points for his sixth 20-point game of the season, and his game-winner was his third three-point make in four attempts.
 



How it Happened
After trailing for much of the early going, the Highlanders used a strong final eight minutes of the first half to take a lead into halftime. Triston Wennersten nailed a three-pointer at the 8:47 mark of the first half to give NJIT a lead, 22-19. The Highlanders would hold that lead for the remainder of the half on the backs of strong offensive play from Francis and Moore, who combined for 22 points in the opening half.

Francis and Moore continued their strong play out of the locker room, with the former hitting a pair of threes in the first four minutes of the half. Moore would follow with a layup to put NJIT up by eight, 46-38, and prompt a Binghamton timeout. After the Bearcats responded to cut it back to three, NJIT would use a 9-2 run to take its largest lead of the game, 60-50, with under 10 minutes to play.

The Bearcats once again had an answer, going on a 13-3 run over the next five minutes to tie the game, 63-63. After a Francis jumper gave NJIT the lead back with 4:40 to go, Binghamton would hold the Highlanders without a field goal for nearly three minutes as it built a four-point lead. With Binghamton's defense swarming and forcing turnovers leading to easy baskets, Francis retreated back to help force a steal which led to a Moore three to cut it down to a one-point game, 70-69, with just over two minutes left.

After a pair of Bearcat free throws, NJIT had the ball with under a minute left and a chance to tie. Francis missed a clean look, but was able to track down his own miss for a second chance. Francis dribbled to the corner and nailed a game-tying stepback three to level the game at 72-72. After getting a stop on defense, the Highlanders got the ball back and could hold for the final shot.

Francis put up a shot with four second to play, but the miss was deflected out of bounds off a Binghamton played with 1.5 seconds remaining. Quentin Duncan inbounded the ball to Moore in the corner, and the graduate student hoisted a three-pointer that swished through the net to give NJIT an exhilarating season-ending win.
 


 



News & Notes

  • Of Moore's three 3-pointers, two of them came within the last two minutes of the game.
  • This was NJIT's first buzzer-beating victory since San Antonio Brinson's game-winner at Vermont on Dec. 28, 2020.
  • Francis' 29 points are a new season-high and are his most in a game since scoring 31 against Vermont on Feb. 8, 2024.
  • Wennersten had three points and three rebounds in his final collegiate game.

Up Next
NJIT concludes its season on Tuesday night as it travel to take on Binghamton at 7 p.m.