NEWARK, NJ--NJIT will close out its non-conference slate on Wednesday, December 23, hosting Rider at 2pm inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

Game Information
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on www.NJITHighlanders.com.   

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.

No Spectators Allowed at Wellness and Events Center
No spectators will not be permitted inside the Wellness and Events Center this season due to the impact of COVID-19.

All-Time Series
Rider leads the all-time series 3-1.  The Broncs have won the last two meetings (2017-18 and 2018-19).  The last time NJIT defeated Rider dates back to 2012-13 when the Highlanders won by two, 53-51, on the road.

Last Time Out for NJIT
After a back-and-forth battle through the first three quarters, the fourth quarter saw Fairleigh Dickinson outscore NJIT, 22-9, and the Knights went on to defeat the Highlanders 68-54 in non-conference women's basketball action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

NJIT (1-4) had two players in double-figures, led by sophomore Kenna Squier's 14 points followed by freshman Lyzi Litwinko with 11 points.  Kiana Brereton added seven points off the bench for NJIT.  Squier and forward Maria Fux paced the Highlanders on the boards with five each.

2X America East Rookie of the Week
Freshman Lyzi Litwinko was selected America East Conference Rookie of the Week for the second straight week the league office announced.

The 5-foot-8 guard from Berlin, CT, averaged 9.5ppg and 5.5rpg in a pair of games for the Highlanders last week. 

Litwinko shot 42 percent on the week and matched her career-high with 11 points on Saturday against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Scouting Report: NJIT Highlanders
NJIT is led by two double-figure scorers -- Kenna Squier (11.4ppg) and Ellyn Stoll (11.0ppg)

Stoll and Squier have notched double-figures in three of NJIT's first five games this season, including a season-best 19 points in the Highlanders win over New Hampshire, 78-57, on December 5.

Litwinko, the 5-foot-8 guard paces the Highlanders on the board with 5.4rpg followed by Squier at 4.8rpg.

2020 Highlander Outlook
Head coach Mike Lane begins his third 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.

Veteran Ellyn Stoll will enter her senior campaign with 749 career points. Last season, she ranked third on the team at 8.8ppg, including 10 double-digit scoring contests with a career-best 25 points at Kennesaw State (2.29.20). The 5-foot-9 guard paced the Highlanders with 49 three-point field goals.

Redshirt junior Kimi Evans, who played two seasons at Seton Hall, practiced with the Highlanders in 2019-20, but did not compete under NCAA Division I transfer rules. Kimi joins younger sister Dani Evans on the court for the upcoming basketball season.

Sophomore Kenna Squier, an 2020 ASUN All-Freshman team honoree, averaged 10.9 ppg in her first season at NJIT. She registered 16 double-digit games, including the last six-out-of-10 contests and one career double-double (21pts, 10rebs) in NJIT's win over Saint Peter's. Her 80 assists topped the team, including a career-best eight assists at Lipscomb.

Fresh Faces
The Highlanders have added six new faces ahead of the 2020-21 season.  All six are true freshmen: Lindsey Syrek, Grace Plummer, Aria Myers, Kiana Brereton, Lyzi Litwinko and Lilly Anderson.

New Home for Highlanders in 2020-21
The 2020-21 season will feature NJIT's first season as a member of the America East Conference.  The Highlanders, who became the 10th full member of the America East effective July 1, 2020, will play a full basketball double round‐robin schedule of 18 conference games against the other nine schools.  The schedule format consists of weekend series (Saturday and Sunday) where a team hosts the same opponent on back‐to‐back days for two games.

NJIT departs the ASUN Conference after five seasons as a member (first season 2015-16), which marked the first time that the Highlanders had been a full member of an automatic qualifying NCAA Division I multisport conference.

Scouting Report: Rider
Rider (0-8) enters Wednesday's contest in search of its first win of the 2019 season.

The Broncs were awarded the MAAC Tournament trophy after earning the top seed in the MAAC Basketball Championships for the first time in program history last season. The Broncs set new program records in overall (26) and league (18) wins.

Rider graduated six seniors, including Honorable Mention All-American and recent WNBA rookie Stella Johnson (Washington Mystics), who was the 2019-20 NCAA Division I scoring champion (24.8 ppg.).

The Broncs top returner is junior point guard Amanda Mobley (8.9 ppg.), a Preseason All-MAAC Second Team pick. 

Freshman Makayla Firebaugh scored 17 points on December 11 vs. Manhattan, the highest scoring output by a Bronc thus far in 2020-21. 

Freshman forward Raphaela Toussiant is coming off a double-double 12 points, 11 rebounds at Iona on December 19.  Toussiant is averaging 6.9ppg and 4.3rpg for the Broncs.

The Broncs were picked seventh in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Follow Us
Stay up to date during the 2020-21 NJIT women's basketball season by following @NJITWBB on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Women's Basketball page on Facebook.