| Game 13 |
NJIT (5-7, 15-15, 9-8 AE in 2021-22) vs. New Hampshire (5-7, 7-21, 4-12 AE in 2021-22 |
| Date | Time |
Thursday, December 29, 2022 | 7pm |
| Location | Arena |
Newark, NJ | Wellness and Events Center |
| Live Video |
ESPN+ |
| Live Stats |
In-game stats (free) |
| Game Notes |
NJIT Notes | New Hampshire Notes |
America East Conference Preview with Adam Dobrowolski and head coach Mike Lane
NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team begins America East Conference action on December 29, welcoming New Hampshire.
General Information
Tip off is slated for 7pm inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center with on ESPN+ and in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com
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 and were selected to finish fourth in the 2022-23 preseason coaches poll, receiving 42 votes.
Last Time Out
Wagner exploded for 29 third-quarter points paced by a game-best 21 points from Zhaneia Thybulle to lead Wagner past visiting NJIT, 68-54, to conclude the non-conference women's basketball slate for the Highlanders. NJIT's lone double-figure scorer on the day was freshman Alejandra Zuniga with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field followed by Reese Vaughan (9), Kenna Squier (8) and Trinity Williams (7).
America East Rookie of the Week (12.19.22)
Zuniga was selected America East Conference Rookie of the Week the league office announced on Monday, December 19.
She led NJIT with 12 points in 18 minutes of action at Wagner on Saturday, December 17.
The 5-foot-6 guard, who hails from Madrid, Spain, made her third collegiate start of her young career, shooting 4-for-8 from the field with two rebounds.
For the season, Zuniga is averaging 9.0ppg, 2.6rpg, 2.0apg while shooting 47.1 percent from the field (40-for-85).
Zuniga is the first women's basketball player to earn a weekly honor this season.
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 - 10.1ppg
Rebounding: Lyzi Litwinko - 5.7rpg
Assists: Alejandra Zuniga (24)
Blocks:Trinity Williams (16)
FT%: Kenna Squier - 74.3%
FG%: Trinity Williams - 53.1%
Scouting New Hampshire
New Hampshire enters Thursday's game with a 5-7 overall mark, most recently picking up a victory by three points at Merrimack on December 21, 63-60. Karolina Anderson led the Wildcats with 16 points.
The Wildcats have won the last two out of three contests to wrap up the non-conference slate (Merrimack, W, 63-60 & Wagner, W, 64-58)
Two Wildcats are averaging double-digits paced by Avery O'Connor with 12.3ppg followed by Brooke Kane at 10.8ppg. On the boards, Kane leads New Hampshire with 6.1rpg while O'Connor ranks second at 5.8rpg.
O'Connor, the reigning America East Rookie of the Week, combined for 13 points in the team's 63-60 victory over Merrimack on Dec. 21. She also made three 3-pointers and drained both of her free throw attempts for the 'Cats. Defensively, she collected eight rebounds. This was the first career recognition for the freshman.
New Hampshire was selected tied for seventh in the preseason America East Coaches poll after finishing the 2021-22 season with a 7-21 mark.
Next Up
NJIT will open the New Year at UMass Lowell on January 1 for the Highlanders first road contest in the America East. Tip off is slated for 2pm on ESPN+.
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.
