NEWARK, NJ--NJIT will look to get back into the win column this weekend when the Highlanders welcome the Hawks from Hartford on January 17-18 inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center in America East Conference women's basketball action.

Game Information
Game times are slated for 2pm on Sunday, January 17 and Monday, January 18.  Saturday's game will be on ESPN3 ad Sunday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on www.NJITHighlanders.com.   

A simple way to find ESPN3 and 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.

Series
The series between NJIT and Hartford is tied 1-1.

12/7/19 - NJIT 61, Hartford 52
12/30/18 - Hartford 84, NJIT 53
 

Last Time Out for NJIT
Freshman Lilly Anderson registered her first career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds but it wasn't enough as Maine swept the weekend America East Conference series from NJIT with a 74-51 victory Sunday afternoon.

NJIT (2-10 overall, 2-6 America East) was paced by freshman forward Lilly Anderson's career-best 17 points, which surpassed her old mark of 11 against Maine on Saturday.  Her 10 rebounds, a game-best, was one-shy her personal-best mark (11 vs. UMass Lowell; 1.2.21).  Anderson finished 6-for-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range.

Sophomore Kenna Squier was the Highlanders' other double-figure scorer with 13 points followed by six points from senior Ellyn Stoll and freshman Aria Myers.

America East Conference Rookie of the Week
Anderson picked up her first career America East Conference Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week honor after averaging 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in a pair of games for the Highlanders.

For the weekend, Anderson shot an impressive 82 percent from the floor while sinking four-of-her five three-point shots.

She registered her first double-double of her career, recording 17 points and 10 rebounds against preseason favorite Maine on Sunday, January 10.  

It also marked the first collegiate start for the 5-foot-11 forward from Waxhaw, NC.

Scouting Report: NJIT Highlanders
NJIT looks to snap it's five-game losing streak while entering the weekend with a 2-10 overall mark, 2-6 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 and second win over Vermont, 70-60, on December 27. 

Four of the Highlanders' eight losses have been decided by six points or less.

Sophomore guard Kenna Squier leads the team in scoring with 10.4 points-per game.

Freshman Lyzi Litwinko ranks third in scoring at 7.8ppg and tops the Highlanders in three categories--rebounding (5.3rpg), assists (2.8), which ranks fifth in the America East and shares team-high honors in steals (10) with senior Ellyn Stoll.

Five Highlanders have made 32% or better of their shots from downtown, which ranks NJIT third in the America East with a 30.4% and tied for first with Maine on three-point field goals made with 78 .  

Stoll paced NJIT with 18 three-pointers (seventh in America East) and ranks second on the team in scoring at 9.5ppg.

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: Hartford Hawks
Hartford enters the weekend with a 3-5 overall record and 3-5 in the America East.  The Hawks have dropped its previous three contests before earning back-to-back winning three straight, including a sweep at New Hampshire and a split at Binghamton.

The Hawks are coming off a 74-52 loss at UMass Lowell, which saw the River Hawks sweep the series from the Hawks.

Jada Lucas tops the team in scoring with 9.3ppg and 10 three-point field goals.  Last season against NJIT, Lucas combined for 20 points and five rebounds in the Hawks 61-52 home loss to the Highlanders.

Sierra Smith, a 6-foot forward, paces the Hawks on the boards with 8.5rpg, which ranks third in the America East.

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