NEWARK, NJ--The NJIT women's basketball team will be back in action on Sunday at 1pm when the Highlanders visit Central Connecticut State for a 1pm tip-off at Detrick Gymnasium.
Game Information
The next two games on the Highlander schedule will be against teams from the Northeast Conference.
Tip-off is slated for 1pm inside Detrick Gymnasium and for those not able to attend the game can watch via NEC Front Row with in-game statistics available on CCSUBlueDevilss.com.
All-Time Series
NJIT leads the all-time series, 1-0. The last time the two teams faced each other dates back to December 30, 2009 at the Hilton Garden Classic hosted by Virginia Tech. NJIT picked up a 69-66 victory. With a win at CCSU, NJIT will have won three straight (last time Highlanders won three in a row 2019-20 (Nov. 26 to Dec. 7).
Last Time Out for NJIT
Led by fifth-year guard Ellyn Stoll's game-best 24 points, the NJIT women's basketball team picked up its second win of the season with a 59-53 overtime victory over visiting LIU inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center Thursday evening.
NJIT outscored LIU in overtime, 10-4, behind Stoll's four points and Maria Fux and Trinity Williams pulling down big rebounds in the final minutes. NJIT scored the first seven points of the overtime and kept their composure to the final buzzer.
Stoll, from Point Pleasant, NJ, registered 24 points, shooting 6-for-13 from the field, 5-of-10 from three-point range (50%) in 41 minutes of action. The 24 points for Stoll is a season best and one-shy her personal-best mark of 25 at Kennesaw State (2.29.20).
Programs First Win Over Big Ten Opponent
The NJIT women's basketball team picked up its first win of the season and it was a big one, as the Highlanders recorded its first Big Ten program win with a 61-49 victory at Wisconsin paced by 14 points each from veterans Ellyn Stoll and Kenna Squier in women's basketball action Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center.
NJIT, which found themselves down 45-43 in the fourth quarter, outscored Wisconsin, 18-2 in the final 6:24 to secure the program's first Big Ten victory. NJIT's Stoll knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to rally the Highlanders and take its biggest lead of the contest, 14, 61-47, after a free throw by Lyzi Litwinko.
NJIT, which combined for a season-best 60 points, shot 40.7 from the field (22-for-54), 33.3 from three-point range (7-for-21), 71.4 from the free throw line (10-for-14) and out-rebounded the Badgers, 40-to-31. The Highlanders held Wisconsin to 33.9 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from downtown.
Highlanders Returning Leading Scorer - Kenna Squier
A season ago, Squier, the only player to average double-digits at 10.6ppg has started 47 career games and enters her junior campaign with 507 career points, 207 career rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field (175-384) and 73 percent from the free throw line (136-186).
Through the first four games of the season, Squier paces the team with 11.8ppg and has scored in double-digits in all four games with a season-best 14 points at Wisconsin on November 14, 2021.
Rising Sophomore Lyzi Litwinko
Litwinko, named to the 2021 America East All-Rookie team, averaged 8.5ppg and 6.4rpg, including two double-doubles last season. The 5-foot-8 guard led the Highlanders on board and earned America East Conference Player of the Week five times last season.
This season, Litwinko has grabbed at least two rebounds through the first four games, including a season-best eight rebounds vs. Wagner in the season opener on November 9, 2021.
Collegiate Debut for Trinity Williams
NJIT freshman Trinity Williams netted 13 points in her collegiate debut against Wagner the season opener on November 9, 2021. Williams, the Highlanders 6-foot-1 forward from Upper Black, PA, shared game-high honors in her debut with 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 1-for-2 from downtown in 17 minutes of action off the bench.
For the 2021-22 season, Williams ranks third on the team in points per game (8.3) and fourth in rebounds per game (3.5).
2021-22 Stat Leaders
Points: Kenna Squier - 11.8ppg
Rebounds: Lyzi Litwinko - 5.5rpg
3PT FG: Grace Plummer - 40%
FG Pct.: Trinity Williams - 54.4%
FT Pct: Ellyn Stoll - 75%
Assists: Kenna Squier - 2.5apg
Blocks: Trinity Williams - 4
Minutes: Kenna Squier - 35.0
America East Conference
NJIT will begin its second season in the America East and will play a schedule of 18 conference games against the other nine schools. The Highlanders became the 10th full member of the America East on July 1, 2020. The Highlanders were predicted to finish eighth out of the 10 league teams in the preseason coaches poll.
Scouting the Opponent
CCSU (1-2) is coming off its first win of the season, 67-60, at Brown Thursday evening. Claire Sutherland-Case dropped a career high 16 points in the effort on five-of-eight shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds to boot for the double-double.
The Blue Devils were selected to finish 10th in the Preseason Coaches after finishing the 2020-21 season with a 4-14 overall mark under interim head coach Kerri Reaves. Reaves has been on the CCSU coaching staff for 16 seasons and was named interim head coach before the start of the 2020-21 season.
Next Up
NJIT will hit the road for a pair of games at Central Connecticut State (November 21 at 1pm) and Fairleigh Dickinson (November 24 at 1pm).
Stay Connected
Stay up to date during the NJIT Women's Basketball season by following @NJITWBB on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Women's Basketball page on Facebook.
