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NJIT Highlights vs. Kennesaw State

NEWARK, NJ—Freshman Kamiyah Street scored the game-winning basket with :03 remaining to lift visiting Kennesaw State to the come-from-behind victory, 61-58, in ASUN Conference action at the Wellness and Events Center Wednesday evening.

Street scored 17 of her game-high 21 points, including the game-winning basket with :03 remaining, in the second half to lift the Owls (7-13, 3-6 ASUN) to the come-from-behind victory. Alexis Poole notched her straight double-double and sixth of the season after scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.

With NJIT leading by five, 55-50, with 2:42 left to play, Kennesaw State scored six straight points, gaining its first lead of the game, 56-55, with 1:29 on the clock after a layup by Street.

Poole put the Owls up by two, 58-56, on a layup with :46 remaining but the Highlanders (3-21, 1-8 ASUN) knotted the game at 58 on basket by Jillian Libby with :15 left to play.

After back-to-back timeouts by Kennesaw State, the Owls got the ball to Street, who drove the lane, scored the basket and made the free throw to complete the three-point play to give the Owls the 61-58 victory.

NJIT senior forward Taj Lewis led the way for the Highlanders, scoring 12 points in 11 minutes on a perfect 6-for-6 from the field.  Guards Amber Morgan and Kelly Guarino registered 10 points apiece.  Morgan dished out a game-best six assists while Libby pulled down a season-best 10 rebounds and added six points for the Highlanders.

The Owls finished with a 43-30 rebounding advantage as the Highlanders scored 14 points off turnovers and outscored Kennesaw State in bench points, 21-to-17.

NJIT got off to a quick start as Morgan knocked down a three-pointer, followed up with a dish-off to Tatianna Torres for a 7-2 lead.  The Highlanders used a 7-4 spurt to push ahead, 14-6 with 3:33 on the clock as the visiting Owls ended the quarter on a 5-2 run, pulling within five of the home team, 16-11. 

The Highlanders scored the first three buckets of the second quarter, extending its lead to 11, 22-11, resulting in a Kennesaw State timeout.  NJIT held the Owls scoreless over the first 5:20 until Poole scored down low.  The Highlanders used a 6-3 run to close out the quarter, sparked by a layup by Ellyn Stoll, heading into the half leading, 28-16.

Morgan led the Highlanders at the half with seven points while Carlotta Gianolla netted seven points and six rebounds for the visiting Owls.

Kennesaw State gained momentum to start the third quarter, scoring the first five points, cutting the deficit to within seven, 28-21, just under the eight-minute mark.  NJIT used a 6-2 run after Guarino's fake pass fast break layup down the middle lane to take a 34-23 lead at the 5:50 mark. 

Kennesaw State went on a 7-3 spurt over the next 1:30, slimming the Highlander lead to seven, 37-30, after a layup by Poole.  NJIT went up by nine, 39-30, on a layup by Lewis but the Owls answered, cutting the Highlander deficit to six, 43-37, on one-of-two made by Street.

NJIT will have a quick turnaround and host Stetson on Saturday at 1pm in the WEC.  The Highlanders will honors its two graduating seniors Kelly Guarino and Taj Lewis in pregame ceremonies.

Guarino, who has overcome four knee surgeries, will conclude her career at NJIT, playing in 70 games, knocking down 159 three-pointers while shooting 35.1 percent (159-for-455).

Lewis, a junior college transfer from Roxbury Community College, played her final two seasons as a Highlander.  This season, Lewis paces the Highlanders shooting 52.7 percent, which also leads the ASUN Conference.