VIDEO: NJIT Highlights at Binghamton
VESTAL, NY–The NJIT women's basketball team moved to 3-0 in the America East Conference behind sophomore Lyzi Litwinko's third career double-double (19 points, 13 rebounds) to lead the Highlanders in a close 66-64 road victory at Binghamton Saturday afternoon inside Dr. Bai Lee Court at Events Center.
NJIT begins 3-0 in conference action for the first time in the NJIT Division I era (first season 2006-07).
The Highlanders, who are 5-1 with games decided by six points or fewer, picked up its fifth road win of the season (the most since the 2012-13 season), fourth straight victory (first time NJIT has won four straight since the 2012-13 season) and improved to 8-6 on the season. The eight wins are the most since the 2016-17 season when NJIT finished with 11.
Litwinko's 19 points is one-point shy of her career-best mark (20 at Lafayette; 12.4.21) and 13 rebounds ties her personal best mark (13 rebounds vs. Hartford; 1.18.21). The 5-foot-8 guard shot 9-for-13 from the field and added two assists.
Fifth-year Ellyn Stoll combined for 19 points and four rebounds, shooting 6-for-15 from the field, 5-of-7 from the free throw line and sinking a pair of three-pointers. Junior Kenna Squier was one rebound shy of a double-double, netting 14 points and nine rebounds. Squier went 6-for-10 from the field, adding four assists and two steals.
Redshirt senior Kimi Evans chipped in six points and three rebounds.
As a team, NJIT finished 47.4 percent from the field (27-for-57) and 66.7 percent at the free throw line (8-of-12).
Binghamton's Hayley Moore led the Bearcats with 13 points followed by Birna Benonysdottir (11) and Denai Bowman (10). Clare Traeger pulled down a team-best 12 rebounds.
NJIT outscored Binghamton in the first quarter, 15-9, behind six points from Kenna Squier. The Highlanders closed out the final 4:06 on a 9-3 spurt capped by a three-pointer by Reese Vaughan, playing in front of a hometown crowd.
Kendle Dalrymple sank a three-pointer to open the second period for the Highlanders but Binghamton, trailing by nine, used a 12-2 spurt sparked by a pair of three-pointers for the Bearcats first lead of the game 21-20. In the final minute, Lyzi Litwinko scored five points as the Highlanders held a five-point lead at the half, 30-25.
Litwinko led all scorers at the half with nine points followed by Stoll (7) and Squier (7). Birna Benonysdottir paced Binghamton with six points.
Binghamton scored the first seven points of the third quarter as the game saw five ties in the stanza, the final at 40-all. NJIT's Squier netted her first points of the second half on a coast to coast drive and Litwinko capped the quarter, scoring the final basket as time expired, giving the Highlanders a four-point advantage, heading into the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Grace Plummer sparked an 8-0 run in the final quarter for a 10-point lead, 54-44, after a layup by Kimi Evans at the 4:30 mark. Binghamton went on a 7-2 run capped by Clare Traeger, who buried a three-pointer in front of the Bearcat bench to slim the Highlander lead to five, 62-57, resulting in an NJIT timeout.
Stoll knocked down a pair of late free throws to give NJIT a six-point lead, 64-58, but Binghamton responded on the opposite end, sinking a three-pointer, cutting the deficit to three, 64-61, with :10 left to go.
Squier hit a pair of free throws with :03 remaining for a 66-61 lead and after a timeout by the Bearcats, Genevieve Coleman knocked down her second three-pointer in a span of :09 to end the game as the Highlanders held on to a 66-64 road victory.
NJIT will wrap up its America East two-game road trip at UMBC on January 12 with tip-off slated for 11am on ESPN+.
