NEWARK, NJ--NJIT will wrap up a six-game homestead this weekend, hosting UMass Lowell in America East Conference women's basketball action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
Game Information
Game times are slated for 4pm on Saturday, January 2 and 2pm on Sunday, January 3. Both games 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
The series between NJIT and UMass Lowell is tied at 1-1. NJIT won the first meeting in 2013-14, 87-75, while UMass Lowell evened the series in 2014-15, with a 60-51 victory.
3/4/14 - NJIT 87, UML 75
3/3/15 - UML 60, NJIT 51
Last Time Out for NJIT
NJIT and Vermont split the weekend America East Conference women's basketball series as the Catamounts cruised to a 65-45 victory over the Highlanders on Monday afternoon inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
In the first game of the weekend, NJIT defeated Vermont 70-60 led by a career-best 20 points and nine rebounds from Kimi Evans.
NJIT's freshman Lyzi Litwinko registered a career-best 14 points (eight coming in the fourth quarter) on 6-of-11 shooting from the field while the Highlanders other double-figure scorer was Kenna Squier, who added 12 points. Maria Fux and Lilly Anderson paced the Highlanders with five rebounds.
Scouting Report: NJIT Highlanders
NJIT enters this weekend with a 2-6 overall mark, 2-2 in the America East Conference. The Highlanders picked up its first-ever win in the America East at New Hampshire, 78-59, on December 5. Four of the Highlanders' six losses have been decided by six points or less.
Sophomore guard Kenna Squier leads the team in scoring with 11.1 points-per game (ranks 11th in the America East). She is also the team leader in assists (2.9apg) and steals (1.0spg).
Eight Highlanders have made 33.3% or better of their shots from downtown. NJIT is led by senior captain Ellyn Stoll with 10 three-pointers. Stoll ranks second on the team in scoring at 8.8ppg.
Freshman Lyzi Litwinko ranks third in scoring at 7.5ppg and rebounding 4.6rpg. In the last five games, Litwinko is averaging 8.8ppg.
Redshirt junior Kimi Evans tops the team in rebounding at 5.0rpg.
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: UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell enters the America East weekend series with an even 2-2 conference record and 3-4 overall mark.
The River Hawks recently split a series with Stony Brook, picking up a three-point victory, 63-60, on December 27 behind three double-figure scorers. Junior Kharis Idom and sophomore Jaliena Sanchez posted a team-high 18 points in the outing. Sophomore Shamyjha Price added to the offense with a season-best 10 points, while grabbing a career-high nine rebounds.
Idom and Sanchez pace the River Hawks in scoring, averaging 11.1ppg and 10.4ppg. Tiahna Sears leads UMass Lowell on the boards, averaging 5.7rpg.
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.
