Post Game Comments with Lanpher, Horton, Torres

NJIT Highlights vs. Rutgers-Newark

NEWARK, NJ—NJIT had four players reach double-figures led by senior forward Leah Horton's game-high 22 points as the Highlanders picked up its sixth win of the season, defeating visiting Rutgers-Newark, 83-52, Wednesday evening in non-conference women's basketball action at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

The Highlanders, winners of its last three-out-of-four contests, have won two straight, improving to 6-7 on the season. Rutgers-Newark, which entered on a three-game win streak, falls to 4-8.

NJIT built a 20-9 lead after the first quarter and a 41-17 advantage heading into intermission.

Rutgers-Newark battled back, being outscored by the home team by seven in the third quarter, 22-15 and kept it tight in the fourth quarter, 20-20.

Horton, the Highlanders 6-foot-1 senior, who finished with a new career mark, 22 points, shot 8-of-10 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line while pulling down seven rebounds.

Redshirt sophomore guard Tatianna Torres scored 11 points, dished out a new personal-best eight assists while grabbing two rebounds and two steals.  Torres finished 5-for-9 from the field in 28 minutes of action.

Tri-captain Kelly Guarino netted 11 points – nine of which from behind the arc and finished a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line.

Freshman forward Danielle Tunstall, who returned back to the court after missing three games, netted 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field.   

Junior center Maria Ruban made her first appearance of the season, scoring eight points and pulling down a game-best nine rebounds (three shy her personal-best).  Senior Alana Dudley added eight points and six assists.

Freshman guard Faith Ashby led Rutgers-Newark with 14 points and five rebounds while Autumn Webster added nine points.

NJIT shot 57.7 percent from the floor, 18-for-26 from the free throw line, held a 42-26 advantage on the glass and combined for a season-best 21 assists.

The Highlanders will close out the year in Chicago, visiting Chicago State from the Western Athletic Conference on December 30 at 2pm (CT).

The Cougars, like NJIT, were part of the old Great West Conference.  Both teams were in the Great West for the conference's existence from 2008-09 season through the 2012-13 season.

After 2012-13, the GWC ceased operations, with most of its members, including Chicago State, departing to the Western Athletic Conference.

NJIT won the last women's basketball game ever played in the Great West, the 2013 GWC championship game.