NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball will play in the program's first-ever America East Conference semifinals game on Tuesday, March 8 when the Highlanders visit top-seeded Maine.
Game Information
Tip-off is slated for 7pm inside The Pitt at Memorial Gymnasium on the campus of Maine University and for those not able to attend the game can watch televised on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on GoBlackBears.com.
First-Ever America East Conference Tournament Win
The NJIT women's basketball team advanced to its first-ever America East Conference semifinals defeating visiting UMass Lowell, 47-33, in the AEPlayoffs quarterfinals led by Kenna Squier (14pts) and Ellyn Stoll (13 points) Saturday afternoon inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
The Highlanders held UMass Lowell to 26 percent shooting and outscored the River Hawks 29-16 in the second half.
The victory over UMass Lowell marks the first time the Highlanders have won a postseason game since the 2012-13 season (defeated Chicago State; March 15, 2013 in the semifinals of the Great West Conference Tournament).
The win for the Highlanders in the America East Quarterfinals over the River Hawks also marked the third time NJIT defeated UMass Lowell this season. NJIT swept the regular season from the River Hawks.
All-Time Series
Maine leads the all-time series, 5-3. The two teams split the regular season series, with NJIT defeating Maine, 67-59 in overtime on January 2 while the Black Bears defeated NJIT, 77-43, on February 19.
How We Got Here
The NJIT women's basketball team picked up its first win of the season and it was a big one, recording its first Big Ten program win with a 61-49 victory at Wisconsin on November 14, 2021.
The win over Wisconsin started a three-game win streak for the Highlanders (last time the Highlanders won three straight was in 2019-20 during a stretch of a pair of wins at home against St. Francis Brooklyn (Nov. 26, 2019) and Saint Peter's (Dec. 4, 2019) and on the road at Hartford (Dec. 7, 2019).
With a win at St. Francis Brooklyn on December 11, 2021, NJIT closed out the non-conference slate with a 5-6 overall record.
NJIT closed out 2021 with a bang, knocking off preseason favorite and defending America East Champions Stony Brook on December 30, 54-49, at home inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center. It was the first time NJIT defeated the Seawolves in five meetings.
The win over Stony Brook sparked an NJIT 4-0 start in conference play for the first time in the NJIT Division I era.
NJIT picked up a pair of regular season sweeps over UMass Lowell and Binghamton this season.
The 15 wins this season is the second highest win total in the NJIT Division I level since 2012-13 when the Highlanders captured the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament title and won 16 games. Only the 2004-05 team (18 wins) and the 2005-06 team (17 wins in the program's final Division II season) have won more wins.
The nine wins in the America East Conference is a program record and the eight road wins is also a new program record.
America East Conference Accolades
Kenna Squier - All-Conference Third Team | 11.1ppg*, 4.9rpg, 44.5% FG; *13th in the America East
Lyzi Litwinko - All-Conference Third Team | 10.7ppg, 7.1rpg*, 44.3% FG | *4th in the America East
Scouting Maine
The Black Bears, who own the nation's sixth longest active win streak (13) are making their eighth consecutive appearance in the America East semifinal round. Maine is 8-1 all-time in the semifinal round and have won 11 of its last 12 postseason games. In the stretch, Maine has won six-straight at home and have held opponents to just 47.5 points per game over the last 13 games.
Anne Simon, the league's Player and Defensive Player of the Year, leads the America East in scoring at 16.3 points per game. Simon has registered double-digit scoring efforts in 28 of Maine's 29 regular season games while scoring 20 or more in seven games with four double-doubles. Defensively, Simon leads the league at 2.9 steals per game, 10th best in the nation.
Stay Connected
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