VIDEO: NJIT Highlights
VIDEO: Post Game Interview
NEWARK, NJ–NJIT junior Kenna Squier scored a team-best 17 points but it wasn't enough as visiting UAlbany defeated NJIT, 62-54, Saturday afternoon in America East Conference action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
NJIT, which entered with a five-game win streak, moved to 9-7 overall, 4-1 in the league while UAlbany won its seventh straight game, improving to 10-4 overall and remaining perfect in the league at 3-0.
The Great Danes were led by Kayla Cooper's second straight double-double 21 points and 15 rebounds followed by Helen Haegerstrand with 15 points. Guard Lilly Phillip dished out a game-best seven assists as the Great Danes combined for 14 as a team.
Squier, the lone double-figure scorer for the Highlanders, shot 5-for-12 from the field, 6-of-6 from the free throw line while adding three rebounds and two assists.
Ellyn Stoll and Kendle Dalrymple chipped in eight points apiece while Kimi Evans added seven points and five rebounds. Stoll finished 2-for-5 from three-point range and Dalrymple, who posted a season-best, went 3-of-6 from the field and 2-for-4 from downtown.
NJIT took an early 7-2 lead in the opening two minutes, capped by a driving layup by Ellyn Stoll. UAlbany rallied back, using a 6-2 spurt, pulling within one of NJIT, 9-8, at the six minute mark. The Great Danes used a 6-2 run in the final 4:30 to knot the game at 14-all on a running layup by Lilly Phillips to end the quarter.
The Great Danes went ahead by as many as five, 21-16, at the 6:36 mark but NJIT's Kendle Dalrymple sparked a 9-5 spurt to cut the deficit to one, 26-25, just under the 3:30 mark. The Great Danes scored the final five points of the second quarter to take a 31-25 lead heading into the half.
NJIT went on an early 6-0 run resulting in a Great Dane timeout in the third quarter capped by a layup by Dalrymple, cutting the deficit to five, 39-34. NJIT's Kenna Squier knocked down a jumper in the paint, pulling within four, 41-37, with less than five minutes remaining. UAlbany Lilly Phillips sparked a 11-0 extending its lead to 15, 52-37, taking its biggest lead of the contest.
Trailing 54-39 heading into the fourth quarter, NJIT got rolling using a 7-0 spurt over a span of 3:28, cutting the Great Dane deficit to 10, 56-46, behind four points by Squier, with 6:13 to play. NJIT, battling late in the fourth quarter, pulled within eight, 58-50, on a pair of free throws made by Squier with less than three to go.
NJIT will make the trip up to Vermont on Wednesday, January 19 at 6pm before returning back to Newark for a pair of games. The game at Vermont will be streamed on ESPN+.
