VIDEO: Post Game Show w/ Coach Lane | NJIT Highlights vs. Liberty
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NEWARK, NJ --- Despite 19 points and nine rebounds from NJIT senior forward Danielle Tunstall, Liberty opened up ASUN Conference action with a 67-53 win at NJIT paced by a game-high Keyen Green inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center Saturday afternoon.
Liberty moves to 8-6 overall, 1-0 in the ASUN while the Highlanders fall to 3-11 on the season and 0-1 in ASUN action.
NJIT, which led by two at the half, 30-28, was outscored in the second half 39-23 as the Flames held on for a 67-53 ASUN victory.
Liberty's Green finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free throw line to lead the Flames to victory. Asia Todd netted 15 points and Bridgette Rettstatt added 10 points for the visitors.
Tunstall, who just nearly missed notching a double-double, finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. The forward from Willingboro, NJ, has notched double-figures in the last eight out of nine games for the Highlanders.
NJIT's other double-digit scorer was junior guard Ellyn Stoll with 13 points. Freshman Kenna Squier dished out a career-high seven assists for the Highlanders.
Liberty got off to a 9-4 start in the opening 4:45 but the Highlanders rallied back to take its first lead of the game, 14-13, on a three-pointer from the corner by Maddie Martin and pushed its lead to three, 17-15, on a trey ball by Maria Fux at the 1:34 mark.
NJIT's Dani Evans knocked down a three-pointer to start the second quarter as the Flames scored seven straight, resulting in an NJIT timeout, to take a six-point lead, 26-20. Ellyn Stoll's jumper at the 7:30 mark sparked a 10-2 spurt which saw the Highlanders take a 30-28 lead, heading into the locker room.
Fux and Liberty's Bridgette Rettstatt led all scorers after the first 20 minutes with eight points followed by seven apiece from Stoll and Tunstall.
After four in a row to start the third quarter for Liberty, Stoll connected with a three-pointer at the 7:37 mark to regain the lead 34-32. The Flames used an 8-2 run to take a four-point lead, 40-36, just under the five-minute media. Stoll and Tunstall scored back-to-back baskets, cutting the Liberty deficit to one, 44-43, with less than two minutes to go. Liberty closed out the period on a 6-2 run, including a last second shot by Keyen Green, taking a 50-44 lead.
NJIT kept battling in the fourth quarter, using a late 7-4 run to close the Flames gap to six, 59-53, behind four consecutive points for the Highlanders with 1:46 left to play. Liberty outscored NJIT, 17-9, in the final period, closing out the game on a 6-0 run and securing its first win in ASUN action, 67-53.
NJIT will make its first road trip to Florida in ASUN Conference play, first visiting North Florida on January 11 at 1pm and Jacksonville on Monday at 7pm.
