NEWARK, NJ–NJIT will play the next three out of four games on the road, first with the Highlanders traveling to Virginia to tip off against Norfolk State on December 3.
Game Information
Tip off is slated for 1pm on HBCU Go Network and in-game statistics will be available on NUSpartans.com.
All-Time Series
Saturday will mark the second all-time meeting between the two schools. NJIT leads the series, 1-0.
Norfolk State was the third NCAA Division I opponent the NJIT women's basketball team competed against (first season of Division I competition, 2006-07), defeating the Spartans, 91-70.
The 91 points scored at Norfolk State (11.18.06) are the most points scored by the Highlanders since moving to Division I.
Last Time Out
Visiting Fairleigh Dickinson poured in 44 first half points and held on for a 67-52 victory at NJIT Wednesday evening in non-conference women's basketball action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
Trinity Williams netted a game-best 15 points followed by Alejandra Zuniga, who netted 10 points in 18 minutes off the bench while Aria Myers and Lyzi Litwinko each chipped in eight points apiece, shooting 4-for-8 from the field. Williams finished the game 7-for-12 from the field and added four rebounds.
Forward Maria Fux led the Highlanders on the boards with eight rebounds.
4-2 Start This Season
The 4-2 start to the 2022-23 season is the best start since the 2012-13 season.
Nov. 7 | W, NJIT 68, Rider 60
Nov. 11 | L, Lafayette 62, NJIT 58
Nov. 13 | L, Rutgers 87, NJIT 71
Nov. 16 | W, NJIT 56, St. Francis BK 49
Nov. 19 | W, NJIT 71, CCSU 65 (OT)
Nov. 22 | W, NJIT 57, LIU 50
Highlanders Three Game Win Streak Snapped
The Highlanders three game win streak was snapped at Monmouth on Sunday, November 27 as the Hawks outscored NJIT in the overtime period, 15-7, to secure the 70-61 victory. NJIT's win streak began with a pair of home victories over St. Francis Brooklyn, an overtime victory at home against CCSU and a comeback win at LIU, which saw the Highlanders down by as many 12 in the first quarter.
Freshman from Spain - Alejandra Zuniga
NJIT freshman Zuniga netted a career-best 23 points despite dropping a 87-71 road loss at Big Ten opponent Rutgers Sunday. Zuniga, the Highlanders 5-foot-6 guard, finished the contest, shooting 8-for-13 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-point range and 5-of-7 from the charity stripe in 20 minutes of action off the bench. The 23 points scored by Zuniga, who hails from Madrid, Spain, are the most points by an NJIT freshman since the 2019-20 season when Kenna Squier scored 21 points vs. Saint Peter's (12.4.19) and Stetson (1.27.20).
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.
#ProtectTheWEC
NJIT will play 13 games (five non-conference; eight America East) inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
The last time NJIT hit the hardwood inside the WEC was the 2021 America East Conference Quarterfinals on March 5 when Highlanders defeated the River Hawks from UMass Lowell, 47-33, to advance to the America East semifinals for the first time in program history.
The seven wins at home inside the Wellness and Events Center in 2021 are the most wins at home by the Highlanders since the facility opened in 2017-18.
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: Aria Myers - 12.1ppg
Rebounding: Lyzi Litwinko - 5.6rpg
Assists: Lyzi Litwinko (17)
Blocks:Trinity Williams (11)
FT%: Kenna Squier - 82.1%
FG%: Trinity Williams - 60.0%
Welcome Home
Saturday will game will serve as a homecoming for senior Kendle Dalrymple, who hails from Virginia Beach, VA.
America East Conference
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.
Scouting Norfolk State
Norfolk State will wrap up a three-game homestand on Saturday, hosting NJIT. The Spartans have won seven straight contests and are 3-0 at home this season.
Most recently the Spartans are coming off a 65-56 victory on Thursday as Camille Downs led the way with 21 points, her highest output of the season, adding five steals and four rebounds. Deja Francis followed closely behind with 16 points and five assists, her seventh game of the season scoring in double-figures.
After a season-opening win at home on November 7 against Virginia University of Lynchburg, 125-19, the Spartans played the next six on the road.
Forward Kierra Wheeler was named MEAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week on November 29 after the conclusion to the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic, in which she was named MVP of the event after leading Norfolk State to three victories in three days.
Wheeler averaged 14.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per contest this week, shooting a combined 19-for-28 (67.9 percent) from the floor.
Spartans Deja Francis and Wheeler pace the Spartans in scoring at 13.6ppg and 12.8ppg respectively. Wheeler, tops the Spartans on the boards, just shy of averaging a double-double with 9.5rpg.
Norfolk State had three players selected to 2022-23 All-MEAC Preseason Teams – Camille Downs and Deja Francis were named to the preseason first-team, Mahoganie Williams landed on the second team, and the Spartans were predicted to finish second in the conference.
Downs, the 2021-22 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year last year, established herself as one of the premier defenders in the country last season. Her conference-best 3.3 steals per game ranked fourth in the nation
Next Up
NJIT will welcome Colgate on December 7 before playing the next two games on the road to close out the non-conference slate – at Saint Peter's (December 10) and Wagner (December 17).
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.
