FREE Video/Audio            Live Stats
 
The NJIT women's basketball team will have a quick turnaround after suffering a 46-33 home loss to Howard on Thursday evening when the Highlanders host Great West Conference Preseason favorite Utah Valley on Saturday at 2pm. 
 
The NJIT men will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game hosting Texas-Pan American.
 
The NJIT women's basketball contest vs. Utah Valley will also be the first Great West Conference Weekend Showcase on CollegeInsider.com.
Click HERE to follow.
 
NJIT (8-14 overall, 1-1 in conference play) will enter play having dropped its last three games and six of its last seven. In its last two games, NJIT fell to Howard, 46-33, and by one-point, 58-57, at GWC foe Chicago State last Saturday.  The Highlanders opened conference play with a 60-55 home victory over Texas-Pan American on January 12.
 
Utah Valley was selected by the coaches to win the 2012-13 Great West Conference women's basketball championship receiving four first-place votes in the balloting for a total of 24 points.
 
The Wolverines finished tied for second in the Great West last season with NJIT as each team posted 6-4 marks in conference play. The Highlanders were second in the preseason polling, garnering 19 points and picking up the other first-place vote.
 
In the last meeting between the two teams, Utah Valley advanced to the semifinals of the 2011-12 GWC Tournament, defeating NJIT, 63-52, in Chicago.  The second-seeded Wolverines fell to North Dakota, 69-56, in the title game.
 
The Highlanders are led by Preseason GWC first-team honoree Rayven Johnson, who is averaging close to a double-double with 15.2ppg and 9.5rpg (ranks 52nd in the nation).  The senior has posted 10 double-doubles on the season (ranks 13th in the nation) and 21 for her career while registering double-figure scoring in 17 out of 22 games this season.  Johnson ranks sixth all-time at NJIT with 1,090 points and third with 736 rebounds. 
 
Johnson has earned GWC Player of the Week three times this season.  The senior guard ranks third in the conference in scoring, rebounding and free throw percentage (.762) and fifth in field goal percentage (.387)
 
NJIT's second leading scorer is junior Uju Nwankwo, the Highlanders athletic forward and a Preseason Great West Conference second-team honoree. 
 
Nwawnko is averaging 7.2ppg and second with 7.0rpg.  Nwawnko has at least one block or one steal in 20 out of 22 games.  Nwanwko leads the GWC in blocked shots with 42 (ranks 42nd in the nation with 1.9bpg) and fifth in the conference in rebounding.
 
Sophomore Sarah Olson ranks third on the team with 6.9ppg.  Olson leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage (36-96 - .375) and second in three-pointers made (36). 
 
Denisa Domiterova, the 2011-12 GWC Newcomer of the Year and Preseason GWC second-team selectee ranks eighth in the conference with 15 three-pointers made (0.9) in 16 games.
 
Point guard Alyssa Albanese leads the Highlanders with 50 assists (ranking sixth in the conference, 2.3apg).
 
Utah Valley Notes
The Wolverines (7-12, 2-0 GWC) are coming off of a two-point (67-65) loss at future Western Athletic Conference opponent CSU Bakersfield last Saturday.
 
Prior to the setback, Utah Valley had won three straight including its first two conference games at home - Texas-Pan American (71-66 in OT) and Chicago State (71-38).
 
Preseason GWC Player of the Year Sammie Jensen leads the Wolverines and the GWC in scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.6 ppg and 12.7 rpg. The 12.7rpg ranks her fifth in the country.  Jensen was named GWC Player of the Year last season.
 
Sophomore guard Tina Doughty ranks second on the team averaging of 8.9ppg and Kaycee Mansfield follows with 8.2ppg.
 
UVU currently holds a 10-5 series advantage and have also won three of the last four contests.  The Wolverines are 4-2 all-time in Newark.
 
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. Coverage begins at 1:45 p.m. with tip-off set for 2:00 p.m