NEWARK, NJ—Freshman Tasia Bristow came off the bench for a team-leading 16 points that included some of the biggest plays for Delaware State in an 82-74 overtime women's basketball win for the visiting Hornets against NJIT Wednesday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

Bristow scored her team's last five points in the second half, including the game-tying basket with 11 seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime. Then she shot 6-for-6 at the foul line in overtime, as the Hornets connected on 13-of-15 tries at the stripe and outscored NJIT in the extra session, 17-9.

Bristow was one of four double-figure scorers for the winners, who are now 1-2 on the season. Deanna Harmon, another freshman, added 14 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for DSU, while senior Brittany Washington posted a double-double, with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, and sophomore Kianna D'Oliveira chipped in 11 points.

NJIT had four double-figure scorers, as well, paced by a game-high 22 points from senior Jessica Gerald, who shot 4-for-5 on three-point tries. Gerald scored 17 of her points in the second half, as NJIT overcame a 30-25 halftime deficit to finish the second half tied at 65.

Sophomore Rayven Johnson scored a career-best 15 points in Wednesday's defeat, including 10 points in the second half. Junior Melanie Griffin finished with 12 points for the Highlanders and sophomore Maria Sanchez scored 10.

Freshman center Kristian Parker had the best game of her young NJIT career, setting new standards for points (8) and rebounds (team-high 6) in 17 minutes of action in her fourth college game.

The biggest lead of the night for either team was nine for Delaware State, when a three-pointer for Tiffany Davis made it 43-34 with 14:59 left in regulation. NJIT closed the gap with an 11-2 burst, capped by Gerald's third three-pointer in the spurt, tying the score at 45 with 11:33 on the clock.

There would be four more ties in regulation, with neither team leading by more than three points until overtime.

The first three-point lead in the second half came on a pair of free throws by NJIT's Johnson, making it 53-50 with 7:19 left. But the momentum swung back to Delaware State and Bristow's steal and fast-break layup put her team ahead by three, 56-53, exactly two minutes after NJIT's three-point lead.

The Highlanders still trailed, 60-57, with 4:01 left, before Gerald nailed a three-pointer to tie the score at 3:47. After two Hornet misses on the next possession, Johnson's layup put NJIT on top by two, with 2:58 left.

After a turnover by each team, Bristow hit a three to put her team ahead, 63-62, and Sanchez answered with 10-foot jump shot in the lane, giving NJIT a 64-63 advantage with 1:13 remaining.

Neither team scored for nearly a minute, with NJIT missing three straight free throws—two with 31 seconds left and one with 14 seconds left. That prevented the Highlanders from extending their lead beyond one point until Johnson broke the drought by making the second of her two tries at 0:14.

Delaware State's Bristow tied the score, 65-65, with 11 seconds remaining and, with the Hornets pressuring the Highlanders in the backcourt, NJIT coach Margaret McKeon called timeout with 4.7 seconds on the clock.

After the teams returned from the huddle and McKeon saw the Hornets defense, she called another timeout and the Highlanders came out of the second timeout with a quick-hitting play that broke Kimberly Dweck free at midcourt. Dweck then found Parker for what appeared to be an open layup try. However, DSU's D'Oliveira recovered in time to get back into the play at the last instant and swat Parker's shot out of bounds as the buzzer sounded, preserving the tie.

In overtime, NJIT took what would be its last lead, at 68-67 on two free throws by Johnson with 3:14 left. But Delaware State scored the next eight points, beginning with two foul shots by Washington that put her team ahead for good, 69-68, at 2:38.

The Hornets scored 13 more points and 11 of them came from the foul line, making it all but impossible for NJIT to make a final run.

The Highlanders will return from Thanksgiving with a game on Saturday at 2 pm, when they host Penn in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.