Preview: Vermont at NJIT in Key America East Clash NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — A pivotal America East Conference rematch with postseason implications is set for Saturday when the Vermont Catamounts visit the NJIT Highlanders at Fleisher Athletic Center. Vermont (17-11) enters looking to avenge a narrow home loss to NJIT from just three weeks ago and snap a two-game skid. The Catamounts fell 79-77 to the Highlanders on Jan. 31 and are coming off a 75-62 road loss to Maryland-Baltimore County on Thursday. Guard TJ Long, Vermont’s player to watch, scored 21 points in that defeat and had 14 points in a rout of Bryant on Feb. 14. He was held to seven points in the first meeting with NJIT. NJIT (15-12) carries a five-game winning streak into the contest, its longest of the season. The Highlanders’ last outing was a 67-58 victory at Maine on Feb. 14, led by a 23-point performance from guard Sebastian Robinson. Robinson, the team’s focal point, torched Vermont for 22 points and five rebounds in the January win. He has scored 23 points in two of his last three games. The matchup features two of the conference’s top scorers in Long and Robinson, with the latter playing a central role in NJIT’s surge. The Highlanders’ streak includes wins over New Hampshire, Binghamton and Massachusetts-Lowell. Vermont’s recent form has been inconsistent, mixing dominant home wins with road struggles. Beyond Long, forward Gus Yalden provides an interior presence, coming off a 17-point game against UMBC. The January result gives NJIT a critical head-to-head tiebreaker possibility, adding stakes to the league standings. Vermont will aim to leverage its experience and defensive discipline to silence the Highlanders’ momentum on their home floor. Saturday’s winner gains significant momentum with the America East tournament approaching. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST.