Box Score

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ—NJIT's Rayven Johnson and Uju Nwankwo each recorded a double-double Tuesday as the visiting Highlanders cruised past Saint Peter's, 62-35, at the Yanitelli Center.

 

The Highlanders, which have won the last two contests, improve to 6-5 overall while Saint Peter's fall to 0-7 on the season.

 

NJIT was paced by Johnson's game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, as the senior recorded her sixth double-double of the season and 17th overall.  Johnson finished the game shooting 9-for-18 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line.

 

Junior forward Nwankwo registered her second consecutive double-double with 14 points and matched her season-high with 13 rebounds while sophomore center Nicole Maticka came off the bench to score nine points.

 

Saint Peter's was led by Jesika Holmes and Antonia Smith who each notched eight points apiece.  Holmes and Kristal Edwards pulled down seven rebounds each.

 

The visitors opened up the contest 9-2 after the Highlanders used a 7-0 run after a pair of free throws made by Johnson at the 16:30 mark and ended the run on a jumper by Nwawnko at the 15-minute mark.

 

Saint Peter's closed the gap to two, 11-9, on a three-pointer by Smith, with 12:30 remaining.  The Peacocks used a 7-2 run.

 

NJIT increased its lead to double-digits with less than 5:45 remaining in the first half on a jumper by Johnson, for a 10-point lead, 23-13, followed by jumper from the wing by Maticka for a 25-13 advantage.

 

The home team scored the next three points cutting the lead back down to single-digits, 25-16, but the Highlanders scored the final two points of the half on a layup by Johnson, 27-16, taking an 11-point lead heading into the locker room.

 

NJIT's Johnson led all scorers after the first intermission with 14 points while Saint Peter's Smith had five.



To open the second half, both teams traded baskets over the opening five minutes with the Highlanders holding a 13-point lead, 31-18, after back-to-back baskets by Johnson.



Saint Peter's scored the next four points, cutting the Highlander deficit to eight, on a layup by Edwards, 32-24.  NJIT scored the next seven points pushing the lead back up to double-digits, 15, 39-24, after a jump shot by Maticka with less than 11 minutes to go in the game.



The Highlanders outscored the home team 25-11 in the final 10:30. 



As a team, the Highlanders outrebounded Saint Peter's 52-to-34 on the glass while shooting 40 percent from the floor (23-for-57) and 79 percent from the free throw line (15-for-19). Senior Melanie Griffin notched a career-high with eight boards for NJIT.



The Highlanders will break for finals and return to action next Friday (December 21) when the team travels to Virginia Commonwealth.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2pm.