VIDEO: NJIT Highlights
VIDEO: Post Game Interview w/ head coach Mike Lane and Lyzi Litwinko
VIDEO: Post Game Report w/ ESPN+ Mike Ventola and Assistant Coach LaTonya Watson
PHOTO GALLERY
NEWARK, NJ–NJIT closed out the game on 22-0 run in the fourth quarter behind three double-figure scorers led by a game-best 17 points from sophomore Lyzi Litwinko in the Highlanders 64-48 home victory over New Hampshire Wednesday evening in America East Conference action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
NJIT snaps a three-game skid, moving to an even 11-11 on the season and 6-5 in the America East. The 11 wins for NJIT is tied for the second highest win total in the NJIT Division I era (2016-17, the Highlanders finished with 11). The 16 wins in 2012-13 is the highest wins total in the DI era, which began in 2006-07. New Hampshire drops to 4-17 overall and 1-9 in the league.
Litwinko, who led the Highlander offense with 17 points, finished 6-for-7 from the field, grabbing eight rebounds followed by Ellyn Stoll (14 points), Kenna Squier (10 points) and Maria Fux (8 points). Kiana Brereton came off the bench to score four points and pulled down five rebounds for NJIT.
New Hampshire was paced by three double-figure scorers led by Amanda Torres team-best 13 points followed by Ivy Gogolin and Sophia Widmeyer each netting 12 points. Helena Dalaruelle chipped in five points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals for the Wildcats.
Fux paced the Highlanders on the glass with a new personal-best nine rebounds and five blocks on the night. Squier dished out four assists.
NJIT ahead by one to start the fourth quarter, 42-41, New Hampshire, scored the first seven points and regained the lead and went ahead by six 48-42, at the seven minute mark, resulting in a timeout by fourth-year head coach Mike Lane. Out of the timeout, NJIT took control and never looked back as sophomore Aria Myers sparked a 22-0 run with a jumper inside the arc over the final 6:56 as the Highlanders moved back into the win column with a 64-48 victory.
The Highlanders opened the scoring with a layup by Kimi Evans and jumped ahead 7-2 after one of two made from the free throw line by Lyzi Litwinko. New Hampshire's Amanda Torres scored six straight points to give the Wildcats its first lead of the game, 8-7, just under the five minute media. Kenna Squier's three-pointer sparked an 8-0 run for the Highlanders, extendings its lead to 15-8 at the 1:15 mark.
The Wildcats went up by four, 17-13, to start the second quarter and NJIT cut the lead to one on three occasions, the final at 22-21 and the Highlanders went up two, 25-23, on a three-pointer by Aria Myers at the 2:50 mark. New Hampshire scored four straight but the Highlanders scored the final basket of the half on a driving layup by Litwinko, slimming the Wildcat lead to one, 29-28.
NJIT's Litwinko and Squier each scored eight points after the first 20 minutes while New Hampshire's Amanda Torres led all scorers with 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field.
The Highlanders broke a 36-36 tie, scoring four straight points pulling ahead, 40-36 in the third quarter, resulting in a Wildcat timeout at the 3:05 mark. New Hampshire used a short 5-2 spurt in the final two minutes to cut the Highlander deficit to one, 42-41.
NJIT will play a pair of games on the road, first visiting Hartford on Saturday, February 12 at 2pm and UMass Lowell on Wednesday, February 16 at 7pm.
