Post Game Interview with Steve Lanpher

Game Highlights

NEWARK, NJ—Columbia's junior guard Camille Zimmerman combined for a double-double with a game-high 20 point and 17 rebounds, leading the visiting Lions to a 65-51 victory over NJIT in the Wednesday matinee at the Fleisher Athletic Center as part of Education Day.

Columbia, which had a seven-game win streak snapped at Long Beach State (on December 31), bounced back into the win column Wednesday, improving to 10-3 while the Highlanders, who had won three straight, fall to 7-8 overall, concluding non-conference play.

Zimmerman, shot 8-of-18 from the floor and recorded a double-double at the half, with 10 points and 11 rebounds. She finished with 17 rebounds, which led the Lions to a dominant, 50-27, advantage on the glass.

Sophomore forward Josie Little combined for 16 points, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field in addition to eight rebounds.  Sophomore guard Abby Lee netted 12 points off the bench for the Lions on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including five rebounds.  Senior forward Tori Oliver finished with nine rebounds.

NJIT was led by senior tri-captain Alana Dudley's 14 points, four assists and four steals.  Dudley has recorded at least one assist or steal in the Highlanders 15 games this season.

Redshirt sophomore guard Tatianna Torres, who entered the game averaging 17.3 points per game in her last three games, added 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Freshman guard Tracey Brereton netted nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range while combining for a personal-best six rebounds.

The Highlanders held a three-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 16-13, as the home team jumped out to an early 7-4 advantage.  Columbia would cut the lead to within two, 10-12, at the 3:00 mark, after a jumper by Little.  NJIT would end the quarter on a short 4-1 run.

NJIT scored the opening bucket of the second quarter to go ahead five, 18-13, but the Lions used a 5-0 spurt to tie the game at 18.  Columbia took its first lead of the game, 21-20, on a three-pointer by Zimmerman, sparking an 8-1 spurt to end the first half, leading 26-21, heading into intermission.

Columbia exploded for 26 third quarter points, extending the Lions lead to as many as 13, 52-39.  Columbia finished the quarter shooting 11-for-19 from the field.

The Lions took a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter and never looked back.  NJIT's Tracey Brereton connected from three-point range to cut the margin to nine, 48-57, with 5:42 remaining, but the Lions responded with the next four points and led by as many as 15.

The ASUN schedule begins for NJIT on Saturday, January 7, in Spartanburg, South Carolina against USC Upstate.  Tip is slated for 4:30 p.m.  The Highlanders will play their final 14 games in the ASUN Conference.