NJIT Highlights vs. Kent State

Post Game Comments from Coach Lane

NEWARK, NJ—Kent State's Asiah Dingle and Megan Carter combined for 34 points in the Golden Flashes' 57-40 victory at NJIT on Friday afternoon in non-conference women's basketball action at the Wellness and Events Center.

The Golden Flashes (6-4) pick up its third straight victory of the season, paced by Carter's 19 points followed by Asiah Dingle's 15 points.  Meriss Barber-Smith paced the Golden Flashes on the boards, pulling down nine rebounds while Ali Poole recorded eight points and eight rebounds in the win.

NJIT (3-9) was led by graduate student Tatianna Torres, who recorded her second double-double of the year, combining for 11 points and 14 rebounds.  Her one steal against Kent State put Torres at 137 career steals, which ties the NJIT Division I record.  The 14 rebounds for Torres were two shy her personal-best mark of 16 vs. St. Joseph's Brooklyn in 2017.

Graduate student Kelly Guarino added nine points while Jillian Libby and Danielle Tunstall each notched eight rebounds.

In a low scoring first quarter, NJIT held an early 11-8 lead, led by Torres with five points on 5-of-7 from the field.

Kent State opened the second quarter scoring the first eight points, taking its first lead of the game, 17-11, with less than seven minutes to play. 

The Golden Flashes held the Highlanders scoreless from the 1:01 mark in the first quarter after a free throw by Ellyn Stoll until one-of-two made by Milena Bajic at the 3:15 mark in the second quarter, which sparked a 7-0 run for the Highlanders, pulling within one, 19-18, on Guarino's jumper inside the paint at the 1:35 mark.

At the half, Torres shared game-high honors with Kent State's Carter with seven points while Torres pulled down 12 of NJIT's 22 rebounds in the first half.

NJIT's Torres connected on a pair of buckets, giving the Highlander a double-double on the day, slimming the Kent State lead to within two, 27-25, at the 4:32 mark. 

Kent State used an 11-3 spurt to push ahead, 38-28, with less than a minute to go in the quarter.  NJIT's Kelly Guarino knocked down her first three-pointer and first for the Highlanders in the game, closing out the third quarter, 40-31.

Kent State netted the first seven points of the fourth quarter, to go up 16, 47-31, just under the eight-minute mark.  NJIT cut the visitors lead to within 10, 48-38, after a pair of free throws made by Stoll but the Golden Flashes closed out the game to secure the 57-40 victory.

NJIT will break for the Christmas Holiday and return to action on Sunday, December 30, hosting first-time opponent Hartford.  Tip-off is slated for 2pm on ESPN+.