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The NJIT women's basketball team will look to get back into the win column on Saturday at 2pm when the Highlanders host Northeastern in the Fleisher Athletic Center. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

NJIT (4-3 overall, 3-1 at home) has lost its last two contests to back-to-back America East teams – Stony Brook (59-34) and defending America East Champions UAlbany (76-41).

Prior to facing Stony Brook and Albany, the Highlanders held a 4-1 record, the best five-game start of the Division I era (first season 2006-07).

The Highlanders are coming off a 76-41 loss Albany on Wednesday evening.  The Great Danes were chosen to repeat as America East Champions after posting a 23-10 overall record and going 14-2 in conference play last season. UAlbany won its first-ever America East conference title and earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament.

NJIT is led by Preseason Great West Conference first-team honoree Rayven Johnson, who is averaging a double-double – 18.1ppg and 10.1rpg.  Johnson is tied with Utah Valley's Sammie Jensen as the conferences' leading scorer and ranks third in rebounding.  The 5-foot-9 guard has posted digit-figures in six out of seven contests with four double doubles.

The Highlanders other double-figure scorer is sophomore Sarah Olson at 12.6ppg.  Olson, a threat from beyond the arc, is shooting 46 percent (21-of-46) on the season.  Classmate Martina Matejcikova has made nine three-pointers on the young season and is shooting 47 percent (9-of-15).

Northeastern (3-2), winners of the last three out of four contests, come to Newark on Saturday with back-to-back wins at home over Boston University (73-62) and Dartmouth (80-45).

The Huskies will be the third team the Highlanders face out of the Colonial Athletic Association Conference.   NJIT competed against Hofstra and William & Mary in the Saint Peter's Holiday Classic on December 29-30, 2008 – Hofstra (L, 60-43) and William & Mary (L, 58-46).

Northeastern was selected to finish sixth in the Colonial Athletic Conference with two players earning Preseason All-Conference recognition.  Senior Deanna Kerkhof was named Preseason all-CAA first-team while junior Jewel Tunstull earned Preseason all-CAA honorable mention.
 
In the last outing for the Huskies, Northeastern capped its two-game Solomon Court stand by dismantling Dartmouth, 80-45. The Huskies stifled the Big Green on the defensive end all day, holding them to 25 percent shooting from the floor and picking up a 40-28 edge on the boards. Kashaia Cannon led all scorers with 19, going 5-7 from three point range. A'lece Mark tied career highs with 15 points and seven rebounds.

The Huskies have three players averaging double-digits paced by Kerkhof with 16.6ppg and 7.4rpg (second on the team).  The senior is shooting 51 percent from the floor (26-of-51), 53 percent from behind the arc (17-of-32) and 70 percent from the free throw line (14-of-20).

Senior guard Kashaia Cannon ranks second on the team with 13.2ppg while Tunstull is the other Husky averaging double-digits at 12.2ppg and 7.6rpg – tops the team.

Fans can follow all the action live on www.njithighlanders.com, which will carry a live video stream and webcast play-by-play and commentary from Michael Ventola, as well as an in-game real-time stat feed. Audio coverage begins at 1:45 p.m. with tip off set for 2 p.m.