DURHAM, NH—Senior guard Sarah-Marie Frankenberger scored a game-high 17 points off the bench for New Hampshire, leading the Wildcats to a 61-56 home victory over visiting NJIT in the season opener for both squads Friday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium.

New Hampshire, a team that recorded a program-record 19 wins in 2013-14, was paced by Frankenberger's 17 points, as she finished 4-of-9 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line in 28 minutes of action. 

The Wildcats' other double-figure scorers were senior guard Ariel Gaston, who posted a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and junior forward Kaylee Kilpatrick with 15 points.  Gaston finished 7-for-8 from the free throw line.

Leading NJIT was sophomore newcomer Leah Horton, who redshirted at NJIT last season after transferring from Temple.  Horton, standing at 6-foot-1, was the only Highlander to reach double-digit scoring with 16 points in her Highlander debut.  She also grabbed 10 rebounds, as the Highlanders held a slight advantage on the glass, 39-to-35.

NJIT senior guards Martina Matejcikova and Alyssa Albanese scored 9 points apiece and freshman guard Bianca Picard added six points in her collegiate debut.  Albanese dished out a game-high 4 assists, while senior guard Kim Tullis added 7 rebounds.

NJIT's Horton opened the scoring with a layup, but the Wildcats used an 11-2 spurt for an 11-4 advantage at the 12:22 mark.  New Hampshire pushed its lead to double-digits after 6 consecutive points, sparked by Kilpartick's jumper just under the 8-minute media break for a 22-13 lead with 5:09 remaining in the first half.

The Highlanders rallied back, putting together a 12-6 run in the final 5:09 heading into halftime to trail by five, 30-25.  NJIT's Alana Dudley had 4 points in the closing run.

To open the second half, Gaston sank a 3-pointer for the Wildcats, extending the lead to 33-25.  NJIT's Matejcikova scored 4 straight points pulling her team within four, 33-29, at the 18:36 mark.

New Hampshire increased its advantage to 9, 41-32, on a 8-3 run.  The Highlanders made their way back into the game on a 13-2 spurt, pulling ahead for the first time since the opening bucket, 45-43, on a 3-pointer by Picard at the 9:35 mark.  Picard netted 6 points in the comeback run for the visitors.

The two teams continued to trade the lead until the final tie of the game, 55-55, at the 1:32 mark after one-of-two free throws made by Alana Dudley of the Highlanders.

New Hampshire's Kilpatrick converted a layup to break the deadlock with 1:17 remaining on the clock. NJIT's Horton drew a 5th personal foul on Kilpatrick, sending the UNH junior forward to the bench.  Horton stepped up to the free throw line and converted her first free try, but the second attempt rimmed out.

With 29 seconds left on the clock, center Carlie Pogue pulled down a rebound after a missed shot by the Wildcats and was fouled, sending Pogue to the charity stripe.  Pogue knocked down one of two free throws, for a 58-56 advantage.

NJIT gainied possession for a final shot and on the play, the Highlanders drove into the paint. But the Wildcats picked up the loose ball in traffic and then converted three free throws on the opposite end to seal the game, 61-56.

NJIT will return to action on Sunday at 2pm when the Highlanders visit Dartmouth in Hanover, NH.