Box Score
KINGSTON, RI – NJIT rallied and gave itself a chance in the closing minutes, but the Highlanders, short of time, fell at University of Rhode Island, 51-47, in women's basketball non-conference action Friday evening at the Thomas M. Ryan Center.
In the closing moments, with 1:30 left on the clock, sophomore point guard Melanie Griffin sank a pair of free throws to cut the NJIT deficit to three, 48-45. On the next possession down the floor for NJIT, Taiwo Oyelola, with 26 seconds remaining, hit two free throws of her own, bringing the visitors to within one, 48-47. Rhode Island's Megan Shoniker, hit one of two at the other end, for a two-point lead, 49-47.
With seven seconds left in regulation, NJIT's Kehinde Oyelola got off a tough shot over Rhode Island's 6-foot-3 center that rolled in-and-out of the cylinder to force an overtime.
NJIT was led by junior guard Jessica Gerald who netted a game-high 20 points. Gerald, has scored at least 20 points on two different occasions this season (vs. Wagner 27 (11/17); at Penn State 21 (11/15) and is averaging 15.2ppg, was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line while shooting 5-of-9 from the field.
Senior forward Taiwo Oyelola scored eight points and pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds, on shy of her career-high 12 rebounds previously recorded three different times. Junior Ivana Seric chipped in seven points and four rebounds.
Rhode Island's Shoniker led the team with 13 points followed by Laura Gaspar and Ashley Rivera who added 11 points apiece. Shoniker dished out a season-high five assists while senior Lindsay Harris grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds.
The home team scored the first six points of the contest but NJIT answered back with a 6-0 run of their own, on a jumper by senior Katie Piekielski, at 15:13.
Over the next five minutes, the game saw two lead changes and four ties, the final coming with 9:32 on the clock, on a long-range three-pointer by Gerald, 13-13.
Rhode Island took its largest lead of the game, 24-15, at the 6:43 mark, as Shoniker hit one of two from the free throw line. NJIT would score the next eight points, 24-23, all from their point-leader Gerald.
Trailing 30-25 at the half, the Highlanders Taiwo Oyelola hit a jumper in the paint at 14:19, for a 33-32 score. The game was knotted at 36-36 with 11:32 remaining on a lay-up by Gerald but Rhode Island regained the lead on a jumper by Harris.
Gerald completed a three-point play at 7:28, turning the Rams five-point lead to one, 40-39. Rhode Island's Rivera came down the floor and hit her third three-pointer of the game, pushing the Ram lead to five, 48-43.
The Highlanders return to action on December 3 when they travel to Marquette. This will mark the first meeting between the two teams and second Big East Conference opponent for NJIT. NJIT faced West Virginia last season at the Annual Dead River Company Classic hosted by Maine.
