NJIT Highlights at New Hampshire
Post Game with Coach Lane and Squier
DURHAM, NH--NJIT split the opening America East Conference weekend series at New Hampshire as the Wildcats used a late 14-2 run in the fourth quarter to hold on for a 59-53 victory over the visiting Highlanders Sunday afternoon at Lundholm Gym.
The America East schedule format consists of weekend series (Saturday and Sunday) where a team hosts the same opponent on back‐to‐back days for two games. The Highlanders registered its first America East victory on Saturday, December 5, defeating the Wildcats, 78-57.
"I am proud of the team," third-year head coach Mike Lane commented. "We should hold our heads high here, we came on the road, a very young team in New Hampshire for the first time and in the America East. We will learn from this, today was a little bit more mental than physical, which I think is a good thing. I don't think we ran out of steam and we had the depth to play two games in two days. We can take a lot out of today and move it forward and learn a lesson."
New Hampshire had three players in double-figures, led by a game-high 20 points from Amanda Torres followed by Brooke Kane with a double-double -- 13 points and 11 rebounds and Adara Groman with 11 points.
The Wildcats out-rebounded the Highlanders on the boards, 43-to-33 on Sunday, paced by Kane's 11. Torres added seven rebounds.
"We need to rebound to win a game," Lane added. "New Hampshire had 13 offensive boards and that was the difference in a very tough game."
For NJIT, Ellyn Stoll and Kenna Squier led the Highlanders for its second straight game, combining for 12 points apiece. Stoll finished 4-for-9 from the field, 4-of-8 from three-point range while Squier went 5-for-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from the free throw line. Squier dished out a team-best four assist.
"I am proud of the team, we showed a lot of heart and hustle today," Squier added. "There are a lot of lessons that we are going to take from today and apply moving forward."
Freshman Lilly Anderson combined for eight points and three rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench. Classmate Grace Plummer and sophomore Maria Fux each added six points.
Lyzi Litwinko, the 5-foot-8 freshman guard, led the Highlanders on the boards with six.
NJIT picked up where they left off on Saturday, jumping out on a 7-0 run and taking an early 12-4 lead at the 6:12 mark behind a pair of three-pointers from Stoll. New Hampshire used a 7-0 run over the next four minutes, cutting the Highlander deficit to one, 12-11. NJIT closed out the first quarter on a 6-0 run, with all six points coming from Lilly Anderson.
The Highlanders extended its lead to double-figures in the second stanza after a quick 7-0 spurt for a 25-15 advantage after a three-pointer from Plummer. New Hampshire rallied back, slimming the Highlander margin to four on three different occasions, the final on a layup by Amanda Torres to end the half down four, 31-27.
New Hampshire's Brooke Kane led all scorers after the first 20 minutes with nine points while NJIT's Anderson led the Highlanders with eight points on 3-of-4 from the field in 10 minutes of action. Stoll added six points.
The Wildcats pulled within two of the Highlanders at the start of the third period, 34-32, on a layup by Brook Kane. NJIT scored seven straight, sparked by a three-pointer by Stoll at the 8:25 mark, extending its lead to nine, 41-32. Midway through the third, New Hampshire used a 7-0 spurt of its own, slimming the Highlander lead to two, 41-39, with :25 seconds left on the clock. NJIT's Grace Plummer connected on a three-pointer as time expired in the quarter, to give the Highlanders a five-point advantage, 44-39.
New Hampshire went on a 14-4 run to open the fourth quarter, taking its first lead of the game on a jumper in the paint by Amanda Torres for a 49-48 score and pushed its advantage to five, 53-48, after a pair of free throws by Adara Groman.
With :28 seconds left in the contest, Squier pulled NJIT to within three, 53-50, on a running jumper inside the paint. The Wildcats scored its final five points from the free throw line to secure its first win in the America East, 59-53, over the Highlanders.
NJIT will return to action on Friday, December 11 when the Highlanders visit Fairleigh Dickinson in non-conference action in the Rothman Center. Tip-off is slated for 7pm on the NEC Front Row.
