Post Game Comments with Coach Lanpher and Dudley

Highlights vs. Lipscomb

NEWARK, NJ—Senior guard Alana Dudley matched her season-best mark with 23 points, leading four double-figure scorers for NJIT in the Highlanders 76-68 win over visiting Lipscomb in ASUN Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

In a game with 14 lead changes and five ties, the Highlanders knotted the game for the fifth and final time and went ahead, 61-60, at the 9:26 mark of the fourth quarter.  Lipscomb went ahead for its final time of the game the 8:19 mark, on a layup by Kaylee Cotton, 64-63.  NJIT used a 13-4 spurt over the six minutes to secure the victory, 76-68.

A key stat from the game, NJIT scored 19 points off Lipscomb's 17 turnovers and added 10 on second chance points.

NJIT snaps a three-game skid, improving to 2-4 in the ASUN and 9-12 overall, while the visiting Lady Bisons drop its second straight, falling to 1-5 in the ASUN and 4-17 overall.

The Highlanders held a 22-17 lead after the first period, led by Leah Horton and Alana Dudley, who combined for 11 points.  Lipscomb outscored the home team in the second period, 23-17, taking a one-point lead heading into intermission, 40-39. 

Both teams produced 20 points in the third period with Lipscomb, holding a 60-59 advantage but the Highlanders outscored the visiting Lady Bisons in the fourth quarter, 17-8, securing its second win in the ASUN Conference, 76-68.

Dudley, who matched her season-best mark (23 points vs. Howard on December 16) and was one-point shy her personal-best mark (24 points vs. Kennesaw State on February 16), finished 7-for-16 from the free throw line and 8-of-11 from the charity strip in 40 minutes of action.

Redshirt sophomore Tatianna Torres filled up the box score Saturday, netting 17 points, pulling down six rebounds, dishing out four assists and combining for three steals.  Torres, who leads the ASUN Conference in steals per game, has at least one steal in 15 of NJIT's 21 games.

Forward Leah Horton combined for 15 points while Maria Ruban, who came off the bench for the Highlanders, giving significant minutes, netted 11 points, one-shy her personal-best (12 points vs. CSJ (VT) on February 7, 2015) and shared team-high honors with teammate Danielle Tunstall, grabbing seven rebounds.

Lipscomb's Kaylee Cotton scored a game-best 24 points off the bench, including five three-pointers while the Lady Bisons other double-figure scorer was Alex Banks with 11 points.  Morgan Turner added nine points in 19 minutes for the Lady Bisons.

The ASUN Conference assist leader Loren Cagle dished out a game-best 11 assists, netting six points, four rebounds and three blocked shots. 

NJIT scored the first five points of the game (all coming from Torres).  Lipscomb knocked down its first points of the game from behind the arc on a three-pointer by Meredith Lovelady and a fast break lauyp by Cagle, tied the game at 5-5.  NJIT used a 9-0 run to push its lead to nine, 14-9 and held an eight-point advantage with 2:10 left in the first quarter, 20-12, after a layup by Danielle Tunstall.  In the final 1:14, Lipscomb scored five points, slimming the Highlander lead to five, 17-22.

To start the second quarter, Amarri Trueheart sank a jumper from the wing, giving the Highlanders a seven-point lead, 24-17.  After nine consecutive points by the visitors, Lipscomb took its first lead of the game, 25-24, at the 7:43 mark, sparked by a pair of three-pointers by Cotton.  Both teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, with the Lady Bisons, leading by four, 37-33, on a jumper by Riley Northway with 2:27 left till halftime.  NJIT closed out the quarter on a 6-3 run, cutting the deficit to within one, 39-40, heading into halftime.

Both teams scored 20 points in the third quarter, with the Lady Bisons, leading by as many as five (55-50) at 3:34.  NJIT scored six straight points -- five from Horton, giving the Highlanders a one-point advantage, 56-55, at 2:04.  The Lady Bisons combined for five points over the next minute for a four-point lead, 60-56, but NJIT's Dudley knocked down a three-pointer with 24 seconds, pulling the Highlanders to within one, 59-60.

NJIT will begin a two-game stretch on the road, first visiting Kennesaw State on February 2 at 7pm and two days later visit Lipscomb in a re-match on February 4 at 1:30 p.m. (CT).