Box Score
NEWARK, NJ --- Katie O'Reilly made a free throw with 4.6 seconds remaining, breaking a 45-45 tie and giving Lehigh a tough 46-45 victory over the NJIT women's basketball team Saturday afternoon at the Fleisher Athletic Center.
The victory improved Lehigh's record to 7-7, while the Highlanders dropped to 7-10 overall.
The Highlanders were led by senior guard
Rayven Johnson, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds. Johnson was selected as the Great West Conference Player of the Week last week. In pregame ceremonies, NJIT honored Johnson with a ball of recognition for scoring 1,000 points against University of Rhode Island on December 30.
The Johnson's 14 rebounds for Johnson Saturday, matched her career and season best record, having pulled down 14 rebounds against Rutgers-Newark on November 18, 2012. The 14 rebounds was also one rebound shy the NJIT D1 single game record, which is held by Ivana Seric (15 rebounds vs. North Dakota on February 10, 2011).
Sophomore
Denisa Domiterova added 10 points off the bench for the Highlanders.
Kerry Kinek was the leading scorer for the Mountain Hawks with 17 points and nine rebounds. No other player reached double figures for Lehigh.
“Defensively, we held a good offensive team to just 46 points,” NJIT head coach
Steve Lanpher said. “We tried to focus on Kinek, because she has great hands and finishes. She did get her points, but overall, I thought we converged in the lane and kept that closed until the end. We mixed up our defense, going man into two different zones.”
After
Uju Nwankwo calmly made two free throws with 2:43 left, the Mountain Hawks were the beneficiary of two foul calls. Sarah Pierce and Hilary Weaver both made one free throw each, giving Lehigh a 45-44 lead.
Sophomore guard
Alyssa Albanese, making her first start of the season at point guard, then made one free throw for the Highlanders, tying the game at 45-45, with 1:35 remaining.
The Highlanders had three chances in the closing minute, with Johnson missing two shots, but it was to no avail.
“I thought we had some decent looks, but we couldn't finish it,” Lanpher said. “That's basketball. Sometimes the shots down go down. It's disappointing for sure. I thought we were an aggressive team and that's the kind of energy and focus we need.”
The Highlanders got off to a solid start, scoring the game's first six points on two layups from Johnson and another from sophomore guard Albanese, giving the Highlanders an early 6-0 lead.
The Highlanders remained in front for most of the first 10 minutes, before the Mountain Hawks got their offense going. Sarah Pearce nailed a 3-pointer to put Lehigh in front, 13-10, with 11:26 remaining.
Marybeth Egan scored consecutive baskets to give the Mountain Hawks a 17-12 lead with 8:57 remaining in the first half.
Lehigh led by as many as 11 in the first half at 26-15 on a long 3-pointer from Sarah Williams with 2:35 remaining.
The Highlanders sliced the lead in half when sophomore guard Domiterova canned a long 3-pointer with just three seconds remaining before halftime. Lehigh led, 26-21, at the half.
The Highlanders played inspired and aggressive basketball to start the second half. That style enabled the Highlanders to come back and eventually grab the lead in the second half. Domiterova's 3-pointer gave the Highlanders their biggest lead of the game at 38-34 with 10:16 left.
Lanpher was pleased with the play of Johnson and Albanese.
“What can you say about Rayven?” Lanpher said. “She's a true work horse and gives us that effort every game. Alyssa did well in her first start. She got us into our offense quicker and was aggressive the whole game.”
Albanese had seven points and four assists in 34 minutes.
“I thought our team played well,” Lanpher said. “We were certainly aggressive and that's what I want as we move forward.”
The Highlanders now travel to face Bucknell Tuesday night at 7 p.m. They return home next Saturday to begin Great West Conference play when the Highlanders face Texas-Pan American at 2 p.m.
Write-up courtesy James Hague
