NJIT Highlights vs. FGCU

FORT MYERS, FL—Top-seeded FGCU had four players reach double-figures, paced by guard Taylor Gradinjan, who scored a game-best 20 points as the Eagles topped eighth-seeded NJIT, 83-62, in the ASUN Conference Quarterfinals Friday evening at Alico Arena.

In addition to Gradinjan, Rosemarie Julien scored 16 points, Nasrin Ulel (13) and Erica Nelson (11) for the Eagles.  Gradinjan finished 6-for-11 from three-point range while forward Tytionia Adderly pulled down a game-best 13 rebounds and chipped in nine points.

NJIT (4-26) was led by senior Kelly Guarino with 17 points followed by Tatianna Torres with 14 points.  Jillian Libby and Dez Allen each chipped in eight points apiece.  Allen paced the Highlanders on the boards with eight.

FGCU (28-7) controlled the game early, jumping out to a 12-1 run and extending its lead to 23-12 with four minutes on the clock. 

NJIT's Kelly Guarino cut the Highlander lead to 11, after a steal and fast break layup on the opposite end for a 26-15 advantage. 

FGCU held a 30-17 lead at the end of the first quarter led by Taylor Gradinjan, who shot a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range while the Highlanders were led by Guarino with seven points.

In the second stanza, the Eagles used a 6-2 run, pushing its lead to 36-19, resulting in an NJIT timeout.    NJIT scored four straight points, cutting the deficit to 13, 36-23, after a jumper by Tatianna Torres.  The Highlanders used a 5-2 run to close out the final 2:49, heading into the locker room down, 18, 48-30.

FGCU's Grandinjan led all scorers with 12 points on 4-of-7 from three-point range followed by Rosemarie Julien with 11 points.  NJIT's Kelly Guarino paced the Highlanders with nine points.

The Eagles continued its momentum into the third quarter, starting out on a 10-2 run for a 58-32 score.  NJIT's Guarino scored six points in the final thirty-seconds of the quarter, including a last second shot at the buzzer from the top of the key, pulling within 20, 63-43.

FGCU scored 27 points off the Highlanders 23 turnovers while the NJIT bench outscored the Eagles 20-to-14.

NJIT held its own in the fourth quarter, as the Eagles edged the Highlanders by one-point, 20-19.

Guarino, concludes the season as the team leader in points at 12.5ppg, leading the Highlanders in the last four contests and tying her career-best mark at North Florida on February 17 with a 24-point performance. 

Her 61 three-point field goals made, tops the Highlanders, ranking first in the ASUN in three-pointers made per game (2.9) and second in three-point field goal percentage (39.1).

The 5-foot-6 guard has scored in double-figures in the last 11-out-of-12 games and netted 18 three-pointers in the last four games.  Her 180 career three-pointers rank second all-time in the NJIT D1 era and her 35.6 shooting percentage from behind the arc ranks first.

Tatianna Torres finished the season, averaging 11.3ppg, which ranked second while pacing the Highlanders with 94 assists and 51 steals.

Freshman Ellyn Stoll wraps up her freshman campaign, scoring 256 points (8.5ppg) while classmate Dez Allen scored 189 points (6.5ppg) and 125 rebounds, which ranked third on the team at 4.3rpg.