NEWARK, NJ–After breaking for a week for final exams, NJIT will wrap up its non-conference slate on Saturday, December 17 when the Highlanders visit Wagner.
Game Information
Tip off is slated for 3pm inside The Spiro Sports Center on NEC Front Row with in-game statistics available on WagnerAthletics.com.
All-Time Series
Saturday marks the 13th all-time meeting between the two schools. Wagner has won the last two meetings. NJIT last won on November 12, 2016 in Newark, 68-45.
Last Time Out
The NJIT women's basketball team moved back into the win column paced by a career-best 11 points from sophomore Reese Vaughan in the Highlanders 42-38 road victory at Saint Peter's in non-conference women's basketball inside the Run Baby Run Arena Saturday afternoon.
With the win, NJIT snaps a four-game skid and improves to 5-6 on the season.
Trailing, 32-29 heading into the fourth quarter, NJIT used a 9-3 run to take a three-point lead on a three-pointer by Vaughan, 38-35, at the 5:48 mark. Saint Peter's tied the game at 38-all with 2:36 left but the Highlanders scored the last four points of the game, including the third three-pointer of the game for Vaughan to give the Highlanders a 42-38 road victory at Saint Peter's.
In addition to Vaughan's personal-best 11 points off the bench in 26 minutes, Trinity Williams finished with 10 points, Lyzi Litwinko (8) and Kenna Squier (7). Litwinko led the Highlanders on the glass with six rebounds and four assists. Vaughan knocked down a trio of three-pointers in the win.
Flash Back to 2021-22 Season
NJIT finished the season with a 15-15 overall record. The 15 wins are the second-highest win total since moving to Division I (2006-07 season).
The Highlanders, competing in its second season in the America East, were selected eighth in the preseason coaches poll and recorded a program-best nine wins to earn the No. 4 seed in the 2022 America East Conference Playoffs.
NJIT hosted the first-ever America East Conference quarterfinal game on March 5, registering the program's first America East victory and postseason win (NJIT 47, UMass Lowell 33) in over 10 seasons.
The eight road wins is also a new program-best for the Highlanders.
Highlander Co-Captains
The NJIT women's basketball team has selected senior Kenna Squier and junior Lyzi Litwinko to serve as team captains for the 2022-23 season.
Squier, a 5–foot-9 guard from Branchville, NJ, was selected to the America East Conference third team last season. Squier topped the Highlanders last season in scoring 11.1ppg and steals with 44. Her 11.1ppg ranked 13th in the America East.
Litwinko, a two-time America East Conference honoree (Third team in 2021-22; All-Rookie team 2020-21), ranked third on the Highlander squad a season ago, averaging 10.7ppg while leading the team with 7.1rpg.
New Kids on the Block
The NJIT women's basketball team added a trio of high school standouts – Avery O'Roke (Winchester, VA), Kyleigh Welsh (Clearwater, FL) and Alejandra Zuniga (Madrid, Spain), who joined the Highlanders in the Fall of 2022.
On the Sidelines
Earlier this summer, fifth-year head coach Mike Lane announced the addition of Colleen Moriarty and Payce Lange as Assistant Coaches. Moriarty and Lange will join fifth-year Assistant Coach Aaron Gratch and Anyssa Sanchez who will begin her third season as Director of Basketball Operations on the sidelines.
NJIT Leaders
Scoring: Trinity Williams - 10.4ppg
Rebounding: Lyzi Litwinko - 5.7rpg
Assists: Alejandra Zuniga (24)
Blocks:Trinity Williams (15)
FT%: Kenna Squier - 72.7%
FG%: Trinity Williams - 53.8%
Scouting Wagner
Wagner enters Saturday's contest on a two-game skid, most recently falling at ACC member Syracuse, 83-55, on December 11.
Alex Cowan earned her second NEC Prime Performer of the season. Against New Hampshire and Syracuse last week, Cowan averaged 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Cowan leads with 12.8 points per game. In Wagner's last four games Cowan has tallied 72 points and is averaging 18.5 over that stretch.
Cowan is the only Seahawk to score in double figures on seven separate occasions this season and has scored in double figures in seven of the last eight games.
The Wagner women's basketball program was predicted to finish first in the league's annual preseason poll.
Selected by the league's head coaches as the 2022-23 NEC preseason favorite, Wagner has its sights set on claiming the NEC title, a feat that has only occurred just one other time, back in 1989. It marked the first time in 30-plus years — and quite possibly the first time in program history — that the Seahawks earned No. 1 preseason status.
Zhaneia Thybulle was named to the preseason All-Conference team. Last season, Thybulle averaged 10.1 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 5.1 assists per game, 1.4 steals per game, and a 40.6% field goal percentage.
Next Up
NJIT will begin its third season in the America East and will play a schedule of 16 conference games against the other eight schools. The Highlanders became the 10th full member of the America East on July 1, 2020 and were selected to finish fourth in the 2022-23 preseason coaches poll, receiving 42 votes.
The America East Conference slate will begin on December 29, hosting New Hampshire inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
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.
