NJIT Highlights vs. Wagner 

Post Game Interview with Coach Lane

Post Game Wrap Up with ESPN+ Mike Ventola and Mike Lane

Photo Gallery

Halftime Interview with Mike Lane

Halftime Interview with fifth-year Ellyn Stoll

NEWARK, NJ--NJIT freshman Trinity Williams netted 13 points in her collegiate debut but it wasn't enough as visiting Wagner topped NJIT, 61-49, in the season opener for both squads inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center Tuesday evening.

NJIT (0-1) trailed at the half 28-22 as Wagner held a 44-32 advantage at the end of the third quarter.  The two teams were even in the fourth stanza (17-17) but Wagner held a double-digit lead in the final five minutes of the game to secure the 61-49 win.

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.

Sophomore Lyzi Litwinko nearly posted a double-double, posting 10 points and eight rebounds.  Junior Kenna Squier chipped in 10 points, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and grabbing five rebounds.

Wagner had three players reach double-digits paced by Kem Nwabudu (13 points), Zhaneia Thybulle (12 points) and Marisa Sanchez-Henry (10 points).  Thybulle and Litwinko shared game-high honors with eight rebounds apiece.

Litwinko opened the scoring for NJIT in the 2021-22 season with a coast-to-coast bucket at the eight minute mark.  Visiting Wagner scored the next six points for an early 6-5 advantage and later went ahead on a three-pointer by Lina Loceniece at the 3:20 mark for a 12-7 lead.  NJIT closed the Wagner gap to within one, 16-15, on a post up move by Kenna Squier.

Wagner scored the first five points of the second quarter and NJIT's Squier scored the first basket of the second quarter for NJIT with a mid range jumper just under the three minute mark for a 21-17 score.  Kendle Dalrymple scored five straight points, including a three-pointer at the top of the key off an offensive rebound on a missed free throw for a 25-22 score.

At the half, Squier led all scorers with eight points followed by Dalrymple with five.  Wagner's Zaneia Thybulle with seven points.

Wagner opened the third quarter on an 8-2 spurt, extending its lead to 30-22 on a jumper by Kem Nwabudu.  Williams scored her first collegiate points of her career with a layup at the 5:24 mark and cut Wagner to a deficit of 10, 38-28, on a layup with just under the four minute mark.  Williams finished with eight points in the quarter as the Highlanders found themselves down 44-32 heading into the final quarter.

In the final stanza, the Highlanders slimmed the Wagner lead down to single-digits, seven, 44-37, on a three-pointer by Williams.  Wagner came down and sank a three-pointer but Williams followed up with a pair of free throws made at the 6:46 mark for an eight-point game, 47-39.  Wagner extended its lead to as many as 16, 57-41, with three minutes left to play in the game and never looked back, securing the 61-49 victory.

The first road trip of the season will be on November 12 when the Highlanders visit NCAA Tournament participant Marquette from the BIG EAST.  This will mark the second meeting between the two teams.  The teams first met on December 3, 2019.

The Highlanders will travel to first time opponent Wisconsin from the Big Ten on November 14 to wrap up its two-game road trip.