Box Score
NEWARK, NJ—Senior guard
Rayven Johnson scored 18 points and had nine rebounds, but it was in vain, as the NJIT women's basketball team dropped a 59-45 decision at the Fleisher Athletic Center Saturday afternoon.
The loss, the third straight for the Highlanders, dropped their seasonal record to 4-4. Northeastern improved to 4-2 win the victory.
The game was decided early on, when Northeastern held the Highlanders to just 20 percent shooting in the first half (5-of-25 from the floor).
Northeastern also dominated the Highlanders off the backboard, collecting 52 to 29 for the Highlanders.
“That's the point,” said NJIT women's head coach
Steve Lanpher. “We let them get too many second shots. Obviously, they had way too many offensive rebounds.”
The Highlanders fell behind by in the early portion of the game and they could never get the Northeastern lead under double digits.
“I'm proud of their effort,” Lanhper said. “They were facing a good team, facing an athletic team with size. I thought we had a chance if we could get the lead under 10, but that wasn't the case.”
Lanpher knows that his team has some improvement ahead.
“That's obvious,” Lanpher said. “We can't give a team like Northeastern second and third shots, because they'll eat you alive. I thought we did a good of playing defense until the shot went up. Obviously we gave up way too many offensive rebounds.”
Northeastern had 24 offensive rebounds, compared to just nine for the Highlanders.
Kashaia Cannon led Northeastern with 16 points. Jewell Turnstull added 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the winners.
NJIT got 11 points and six rebounds from sophomore forward
Uju Nwankwo.
“I feel good about where we are in terms of effort,” Lanpher said. “No matter what happens, they're going to scrape and crawl to the end. We have to execute better on the offensive end and take care of the ball better. Offensively, we have to be patient and get better shots.”
The Highlanders return to action Wednesday night, when they travel to Teaneck to face Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 p.m.
Write-up courtesy James Hague
