NORFOLK, VA–NJIT's Alejandra Zuniga led the Highlanders with a team-best 17 points but it wasn't enough as Norfolk State defeated visiting NJIT, 71-64, in non-conference women's basketball action inside Joseph G Echols Memorial Hall.
Norfolk State, winners of eight straight, improved to 9-1 on the season while the Highlanders moved just below .500 with a 4-5 overall record.
The Spartans had three players reach double-digits paced by Camille Downs who scored a game-best 22 points followed by Deja Francis(15) and Kierra Wheeler (14).
In addition to Zuniga's team-best 17 points, Trinity Williams netted 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. Maria Fux shared game-high honors with Spartans Makoye Diawara, grabbing seven rebounds. As a team, the Highlanders out rebounded the Spartans, 34-to-28, paced by Fux (7), Williams (5) and Zuniga (5). Senior Kendle Dalrymple, who hails from Virgina Beach, VA, finished with six points.
The five assists and five rebounds by Zuniga is a new personal-best mark.
After both teams traded points early, Norfolk State took a 14-8 lead at the 4:02 mark. Sparked by an old-fashioned three-point play by sophomore Trinity Williams, NJIT used a 9-0 run to take its first lead of the contest, 17-14, capped by a three-pointer from the top of the key by senior Kendle Dalrymple.
NJIT continued its momentum, knocking down its second straight three-pointer, behind a 15-3 run over the last 5:33 for a 23-17 advantage. Norfolk State went on a quick 6-2 run to pull within two, 25-23, with less than seven to go. The visitors went up by five, 30-25, after the second three-pointer by Dalrymple at the 6:13 mark. NJIT held at least a four-point lead up until the 1:30 mark when the Spartans tied the game at 34-all. NJIT's Dani Evans entered the game and knocked down a three-pointer from the left side of the court to put the Highlanders ahead by three, 37-34, but the Spartans scored the final five points of the second quarter to take a two-point lead, 39-37, heading into the half.
The Spartans' Camille Downs led all scorers after the first 20 minutes with 15 points while NJIT's Trinity Williams paced the Highlanders with seven points followed by Kendle Dalrymple (6) and Alejandra Zuniga (6).
Norfolk State scored the first eight points of the third quarter and extended its lead to double-digits, 12, 49-37, behind its 22-5 spurt over the last 12:33. NJIT's Aria Myers knocked down a jumper in the paint and Alejandra Zuniga followed with a three-pointer to slim the Spartan lead to seven, 49-42, at the 1:41 mark. NJIT went on an 8-4 run over the final 2:22 to cut the deficit to eight, 53-45.
The Highlanders used a quick 5-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to slim the Spartan lead to three, 58-55. A 6-2 spurt for the Spartans pushed its lead to seven, 64-57, resulting in a timeout by the Highlanders. Zuniga, fouled behind the arc at the 1:41 mark, knocked down all three to close the Spartan gap to four, 66-62, the closest the Highlanders would get.
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).
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