SAVANNAH, GA – NJIT erupted for 36 second-half points, erasing a five-point halftime deficit and then pulled away to a 65-56 women's basketball victory over Savannah State Sunday afternoon.
The Highlanders, who trailed 34-29 at halftime, outscored the visitors in the second half, 36-22, led by junior Kehinde Oyelola, who poured in 14 of her game-high 20 points in the second half. The 20 points is a career-high for Kehinde who surpasses her old mark of 19 which she recorded at Longwood on January 4, 2009.
NJIT's second leading scorers, Jessica Gerald and Jill Dickinson, did most of their damage in the second half as well. Gerald scored 11 of her total 12 points in the second half and Dickinson broke even sinking six points in each half from behind the arc.
Savannah State was led by Raven Fields and Lashara Smith with 12 points apiece and Crissa Jackson chipped in nine points.
A key in NJIT's win was that they hit nine three point field goals on 23 attempts. The Highlanders were one three-pointer shy the Division I record of 10, which was accomplished on January 28, 2008 against Texas-Pan American.
Dickinson shot 4-for-7 from long range and senior captain Jackie McCaffrey sank two three-pointers.
NJIT had an advantage in points off of turnovers (21-14), while Savannah State had a 37-36 rebounding edge. The Highlanders, who only had 12 rebounds in the first half, collected 24 in the second half led by Gerald with seven.
Gerald shared game-high honors with Savannah State's Alisha Nelson pulling down eight rebounds. NJIT's Taiwo Oyelola dished out a season-high six assists.
The Highlanders scored its first points of the contest at the 18:00 mark on a lay-up by Ivana Seric but struggled to connect with their next basket which didn't come until the 14:12 mark on free throws sank by Kehinde Oyelola making the score 11-4.
NJIT pulled to within five of the Tigers on two different occasions. Consecutive lay-ups by Ash'Lee Smith and Seric with 11:16 left to go, made the score 15-10.
Savannah State took a brief 5-0 run over the next two minutes for a 21-11 lead but the Highlanders answered with a trey ball by Dickinson at the 3:50 mark pulling the Highlanders within six of the Tigers, 24-18.
The closing spurt began with lay-up by Kehinde Oyelola, followed by another lay-up by junior Katie Piekielski and then a three-point bucket with 34 seconds left by McCaffrey, closing the deficit to four points, 32-28. Savannah State ended the half on a fast break lay-up by Ashlee Barley for a 34-29 halftime score.
NJIT's Kehinde Oyelola opened the second-half with a three-pointer and then gave the Highlanders their first lead of the game at the 9:53 mark on an old fashioned three-point play for a 45-43 advantage. Gerald scored a minute later making her way through the paint and the Highlanders went ahead 47-43.
Savannah State knotted the game at 51, on a lay-up by Fields at the 6:33 mark. Kehinde Oyelola broke the deadlock for good with a three-point play giving the visitors a 53-51 lead. NJIT led by at least three points over the final 4:09.
Next up for the Highlanders is another road game against Fairleigh Dickinson on January 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30pm. FDU leads the all-time series 2-0.
