NEWARK, NJ--The NJIT women's basketball team will open its 2019-20 campaign for the first time inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center, welcoming Colgate on Tuesday evening in non-conference women's basketball action.

With a win on Tuesday:

--NJIT opens the season 1-0 for the first time since 2016-17 (defeated Wagner 68-45)
--Will lead the all-time series, 4-3

Watch Game Live on ESPN+

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Michael Ventola, the voice of the Highlander women, will handle the play-by-play and color analysis from David Gass.

A simple way to find ESPN+ is on NJIT's official athletics website, www.njithighlanders.com. Near the middle of the home page under the headlines section, an upcoming events calendar lists scheduled NJIT contests. After finding the event, click the camera icon to the left of the event listing. That brings you to an ESPN+ portal where you can access the desired program.

All-Time Series
The series between NJIT and Colgate is tied at 3-3.  In the last meeting, NJIT defeated Colgate, 71-53, on December 14 in Hamilton, NY.  Then-graduate student Kelly Guarino netted a career-best 28 points and seven three-pointers, leading four double figure scorers in the Highlanders' victory.

Scouting the Highlanders
Head coach Mike Lane begins his second season at the helm of the Highlanders, after spending six seasons at Bucknell University as the top assistant coach, where he helped guide the Bison to a program-best 27-6 mark, Patriot League title and conference championship while earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament in 2017.

The three key returners back for the 2019-20 season are seniors Tunstall and Milena Bajic as well as junior Ellyn Stoll.

Last season, Tunstall averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 board per game, while Stoll totaled 238 points (7.9 points per game), adding 64 assists and 36 three-point field goals.

Bajic, who made her first appearance as a Highlander last season, averaged 6.5 points per game and had six double-figure performances.

The Highlanders welcome six newcomers and one transfer to the 2019-20 roster -- Kenna Squier, Maria Fux, Kennedy Cash, Marissa McDonald, Kendle Dalrymple and Dani Evans.  Junior transfer Kimi Evans who played two seasons at Seton Hall, will practice with the Highlanders in 2019-20, but will not compete until the 2020-21 season under NCAA Division I transfer rules.

ASUN Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
The ASUN Conference announced its official Preseason All-Conference team and Coaches' Polls and the Highlanders were selected to finish eighth.

Scouting Colgate Raiders
Colgate, under the helm of fourth-year head coach Bill Cleary, went 12-17 a season ago and finished sixth in the Patriot League at 8-10.

Colgate welcomes five newcomers --Alexa Brodie, Holly Lueken, Jenna Paul, Geddy Rerko and Maggie Walsh to the 2019-20 roster. 

The Raiders are picked to finish sixth in this year's Preseason Patriot League Poll.  Rachel Thompson earned placement on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Thompson becomes the first Raider to land a spot since Megan Ballard to begin 2005-06.

Thompson is coming off a terrific junior season. She was voted onto both the All-Patriot League Second Team and Patriot League All-Defensive Team after leading the Raiders in scoring at 12.9, rebounding at 7.2, assists at 3.2 and steals at 2.5.

A Patriot League All-Rookie Team member in 2016-17, Thompson missed most of her sophomore season because of injury. She enters her senior season with 777 career points and 437 rebounds.
 

Next Up
NJIT will play a pair of road games at first time opponents Air Force Academy on November 8 and Colorado on November 10.  The game at Colorado will mark the return of former CU assistant coach and current NJIT assistant, LaTonya Watson.