NEWARK, NJ—NJIT senior Jessica Gerald scored a game-high 22 points and the Highlanders held visiting Savannah State under 29 percent shooting from the floor en route to a solid 59-49 victory over the Lady Tigers in non-conference women's basketball Thursday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

The win lifted NJIT to a 7-12 overall record, which includes a 6-4 record in the last 10 games. NJIT's only two losses in the last six games came on a weekend trip to Chicago, where they lost on January 20 at DePaul, ranked 9th in the latest Associated Press national polland then two days later in Great West Conference play at Chicago State, which leads the GWC standings at 6-0.

Savannah State, which had won four in a row and six of the previous seven, dropped to 11-9 with Thursday's loss at NJIT.

Gerald, who was the only double-figure scorer on the night for the Highlanders, got 20 of her points in the first half, as NJIT built a 39-32 lead before the intermission.

The Highlanders then outlasted the Lady Tigers in a low-scoring second half that saw NJIT outscore the visitors 20-17 over the final 20 minutes.

Savannah State didn't shoot especially well in the first half (11-28 from the field with a strong 7-9 at the foul line), but the 39.3 percent first-half shooting looked absolutely torrid compared the Lady Tigers' second-half accuracy, as they were 6-for-31 (19.4 pct.) from the floor and 3-for-11 at the foul line.

NJIT, which shot 40 percent (12-30) from the floor in the first half, also cooled to 28 percent (7-25) in the second half, but the Highlanders were aided by strong free throw shooting throughout (14-of-18, 77.8 percent overall, with 10-12 in the first half and 4-6 in the second).

Savannah State had two double-figure scorers, led by freshman Ezinne Kalu (18 points), a graduate of Newark's Science Park High School. Kalu, with a section of hometown supporters out to see her play in Newark for the first time as a collegian, added 7 steals. Sophomore Darice Fountaine collected 12 points for the Lady Tigers.

Sophomore Rakiah Gatlin came off the bench for a team-high 10 rebounds—five on each end—for the taller visitors, who edged NJIT under the boards, 44-42.

The top rebounder in the game was NJIT sophomore Rayven Johnson, who came down with 12 caroms.

Senior Ivana Seric did her usual job of filling multiple columns on the stat sheet, grabbing 8 rebounds and blocking an NJIT Division I-record 5 shots to go with 6 points, 3 assists and 3 steals.

NJIT's 10 blocked shots were a new team Division I record, surpassing the old mark of 9, also done vs. Savannah State on February 16, 2008.

Emily Schartner came off the bench for 6 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. The rebounds and steals totals were new personal-bests for the sophomore and her scoring came on 2-for-3 shooting from behind the arc. With Schartner and Maria Sanchez each chipping in 6 points, the Highlanders had a 12-0 advantage in bench scoring.

There were four ties and 11 lead changes in the first half, with the last lead change coming on a Rayven Johnson layup that made it 33-32 for the Highlanders with 2:36 remaining in the half. Johnson's bucket provided the first two points in an 8-0 NJIT run to finish the half. The seven-point halftime lead, 39-32, matched the biggest bulge of the period for the Highlanders.

The Highlanders, who never trailed in the second half, quickly extended their lead to double-digits on Schartner's three-ball 19 seconds in.

The teams traded baskets on the next two possessions and NJIT remained on top by double-figures until Savannah State junior Alisha Nelson made a layup that cut the deficit to 57-49 with 1:44 left in the game.

NJIT's biggest lead of the night was 15 points, at 55-40 on a layup by freshman center Kristian Parker at the 6:51 mark.

The Highlanders scored only four points the rest of the way, but their defense was equal to the task, caging the Lady Tigers throughout the second half.

Savannah State, a Division I Independent, has been a regular opponent for NJIT women's basketball since 2007-08 and Thursday's win gives the Highlanders a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. Savannah State won 54-51 in overtime vs. NJIT last February 6 in Georgia.

The Highlanders, who will play all their remaining games in the Great West Conference, where they own a 3-1 record to date, are off for a week before hosting North Dakota on February 10 at 6 pm in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.