Box Score

NEWARK, NJ– Junior forward Uju Nwankwo scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, registering her first  double-double of the season (fourth of her career), and senior guard Rayven Johnson added 16 points and nine boards, leading the NJIT women's basketball team to a 55-42 victory over Delaware State Saturday afternoon at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

The victory enabled the Highlanders (5-5) to snap a four-game losing streak. Delaware State fell to 2-5.

The Highlanders pulled away in the closing minutes, utilizing a stingy defense, one that enabled them to take the lead for good in the first half.

“I think the last six minutes of the game, we really locked them up defensively,” said NJIT first-year head coach Steve Lanpher. “Our zone became very strong and made it tough for them to score.”

The Highlanders held the Hornets scoreless for almost three minutes down the stretch to gradually pull away.

“It was very important to get this one,” Lanpher said. “We've been playing good stretches and playing hard, but we couldn't get over the hump. We really needed this one and we found a way.”

Both teams got off to sluggish starts, before the Highlanders put the defensive clamps down on the Hornets to gain control of the game.

The Highlanders kept the Hornets scoreless for a span of 7:03, going on an 11-0 run during that stretch.

Johnson's driving layup gave the Highlanders the lead at 9-8 with 11:18 remaining in the first half and Nwankwo's rebound basket capped the run, as NJIT led, 18-8, with 6:50 left.

Johnson's free throw with 1:37 left gave the Highlanders their biggest lead of the half at 23-13 with 1:37 left before the break.

Delaware State then sliced the lead in half as the Hornets trailed, 23-18, at intermission.

NJIT limited the Hornets to just 25.9 percent (7-of-27) shooting in the first half.

Johnson had 10 points and Nwankwo eight in the first half for the Highlanders.

The Highlanders led by as many as eight in the second half, but the Hornets sliced the lead to two on a few occasions, the last being at 41-39 with 4:38 left on a layup from Tasia Bristow, who paced the Hornets with 10 points.

However, the Highlanders scored the next eight straight points to pull away, getting some distance late on three big plays from senior guard Kimberly Dweck.
Dweck first hit a long jumper with the shot clock winding down, and then made a nice pass to Nwankwo for the layup that gave the Highlanders a 47-39 lead with 2:08 remaining. Nwankwo had a breakaway layup with 1:37 left that pushed the lead back to 10.

“Kim made some nice plays for us,” Lanpher said. “The shot was the shot of the game and a big momentum booster for us. She was great during the last few minutes of the game.”

Dweck and senior guard Melanie Griffin sealed the deal with two free throws each in the final minute.

“We took care of the ball down the stretch and made our free throws,” Lanpher said. “That's why we came away with a victory today.”

The Highlanders play their next four games on the road against Saint Peter's, Virginia Commonwealth, Penn State and St. John's. They return home after a brief Christmas break to host Rhode Island on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m.

“This win was a great confidence booster for us,” Lanpher said. “After you lose a few, it's not easy to get that first one. Now, we have an opportunity to go strong when we play Saint Peter's (on Tuesday night in Jersey City).”

Write-up courtesy James Hague