VIDEO: NJIT Highlights at UMBC
BALTIMORE, MD–NJIT moved to a perfect 4-0 in America East Conference action behind five double-figure scorers in the Highlanders 72-58 road victory at UMBC Wednesday afternoon inside Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
NJIT, selected to finish eighth in the preseason America East Coaches Poll, remains at the top of the standings with a 4-0 record with wins over Stony Brook, Maine, Binghamton and UMBC.
The Highlanders move to 9-6 overall, the nine wins marking the most wins since the 2016-17, sixth road win and fifth consecutive victory are the most since the 2012-13 season.
"A road win is great," fourth-year head coach Mike Lane added after the Highlanders' win at UMBC. "We have been able to get three conference road wins early and I am really proud of the team."
The 72 points combined are the most this season and most since last season when the Highlanders defeated New Hampshire (78-57) on December 5, 2021, marking the first win in the America East since joining the league in July 2020.
NJIT had five double-figure scorers in the game, paced by reigning America East Conference Player of the Week Lyzi Litwinko's team-best 15 points and nine rebounds. Litwinko dished out six of NJIT's 11 assists, matching her career-high (6 at UMass Lowell; 1.3.21). She finished 5-for-7 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe.
Freshman Trinity Williams came off the bench and scored 12 points – one shy of her career-best 13 points in her collegiate debut vs. Wagner this season in 19 minutes of action. She finished 6-for-7 from the field, including a new career-best in blocks with four.
Redshirt senior Kimi Evans combined for 11 points and four rebounds while Kenna Squier and Ellyn Stoll each chipped in 10 points. Squier went 4-for-9 from the field with six rebounds and three assists while Stoll knocked down a pair of three-pointers and finished 2-of-2 from the free throw line.
Junior Maria Fux added eight points and seven rebounds on 3-for-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
After the hot-shooting first quarter (71.4%) the Highlanders finished the game, shooting 53.8% from the field, 46.2% from three-point range and 83.3% at the free throw line.
UMBC, which last played on December 18, 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols, was led by Janee'a Summers' game-best 21 points and nine rebounds followed by Alexia Nelson with 19 points on 7-of-11 from the field.
NJIT jumped out to a fast start 16-8, heading into the first media timeout, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range, paced by Maria Fux with six points with a pair of three-pointers and Ellyn Stoll with five points. In the final 7:10 of the quarter, NJIT closed out on a 19-4 spurt led by seven points from Litwinko, taking a 25-10 advantage over UMBC.
After a hot-shooting first quarter, NJIT finished the first 10 minutes, shooting 71.4 percent from the field (10-for-14) and 66.7 percent from three-point range (4-for-6) after the first 10 minutes.
NJIT continued its momentum into the second quarter beginning on a quick 6-2 run for a 31-12 lead after a jumper by Fux. UMBC scored 11 consecutive points (eight straight from Alexia Nelson), slimming the Highlander lead to 10, 34-24, at the 2:45 mark. NJIT's Trinity Williams scored the final four points of the second quarter as the Highlanders headed into the half with a 38-24 lead.
Williams and Fux led the Highlanders with eight points in 10 minutes through the first 20 minutes of action while UMBC's Nelson led all players with 10 points.
NJIT scored 20 points in the third quarter and closed out the period ahead by 21, 60-39, including four late points by Williams in the final 1:36, who scored her 12th point of the game, one shy of her career-best.
UMBC got hot to start the fourth quarter, cutting the Highlander deficit to 11, 60-49, behind an 11-0 run by the Retrievers, resulting in an NJIT timeout at the 7:25 mark. After five quick points by the home team, UMBC cut the lead to 10, 64-54, with 5:26 to play. NJIT pushed its lead back up to 14, 68-54, behind four consecutive for the visitors. The Retrievers did not go away, cutting the Highlander lead to 10, 68-58, with 2:05 remaining but NJIT's Litwinko closed out the game sinking four straight free throws for the Highlanders fifth straight win of the season for a 72-58 victory.
NJIT will return home for a 2pm tip-off against Albany on Saturday, January 15 inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.
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