NEWARK, NJ–NJIT, coming off a thrilling 71-67 overtime victory over Bryant on Wednesday will return back to action on Saturday at 7pm, welcoming Vermont.

Game Information
Tip off is slated for 7pm inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center on ESPN3 with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com.

All-Time Series
Vermont leads the all-time series, 7-1.  The Highlanders lone win over the Catamounts dates back to December 27, 2020, a 70-60 victory in Newark.

1K Milestone for Kenna Squier
Kenna Squier became the 12th player in the NJIT women's basketball history (5th in the NJIT Division I era) to reach the 1,000 career point milestone on Saturday, January 14 at UAlbany.

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.

NJIT has won its #AEHoops opener in all three of its seasons as a league member.  The Highlanders swept their opening week of games for the second straight year. In 2021-22 NJIT started the year 4-0 in conference play. 

Last Time Out
Five Highlanders scored in double-figures paced by freshman Alejandra Zuniga's game-tying 19 points as NJIT rallied back down by as many as 18 in a come-from-behind overtime win over visiting Bryant, 71-67, in a Wednesday America East Conference matinee inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center on Education Day.

NJIT came out on fire in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight, pulling within three of Bryant, 55-52 capped by a pair of free throws by Zuniga.  The Bulldogs pushed its advantage to five, 59-54 at the 3:24 mark.  NJIT scored eight straight points, knotting the game at 59-all after a steal and layup by Zuniga and went ahead for the first time in the second half, 62-59 on a three-point play by Trinity Williams.  Bryant called for a timeout with less than :30 left to go in regulation and would tie the game at 62-62 on a three-pointer by Alanda Perkins with :22 on the clock.  The Bulldog defense forced a missed shot by the Highlanders in the final seconds to send the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, the game saw two ties the final at 67-67 on a driving layup by Lyzi Litwinko. The Highlanders finished out the game on an 8-0 run and went ahead 69-67 on a layup by Zuniga and secured the game with a four-point advantage, 71-67 on another layup by Litwinko to earn the home victory.

America East Conference BIG TIME PERFORER
Alejandra Zuniga earned America East Conference Big Time Performer netting a game-tying 19 points to go along with four rebounds in the Highlanders overtime victory against Bryant on Wednesday afternoon.

In the last seven games, Zuniga is averaging 14.1ppg and recorded double-digits in every games.

Block Party at Binghamton
The 13 team blocks at Binghamton ties the NJIT Division I era record for most blocks in a single season and one block shy of the NJIT all-time record (14 vs. Baruch on February 12, 1996).  Trinity Williams combined for career-best six blocks, Squier career-best four blocks and Aria Myers career-high two blocks in the 62-57 victory at Binghamton on January 11.

Scouting Vermont
Vermont, winners of four straight, enters Saturday's game with a 12-9 overall record and 4-2 in the America East.  The Catamounts are coming off a dominant fourth-quarter at Maine, outscoring the Black Bears, 18-8, to hand Maine its first conference loss of the season, 61-52.

Anna Olson finished with a game-high 21 points (16 in the second half) on an efficient 8-13 shooting from the field.

Emma Utterback ranks fourth in the America East in scoring (13.9ppg) while Olson rounds out the top 10 in the league (11.7ppg) and fifth in rebounding (6.4rpg).  Catherine Gilwee tops the league in three-point field goal percentage (.426; 49-for-115) and second in three-point field goals (49).

Next Up
NJIT wraps up a two-game homestand and will visit UMBC on January 25 with tipoff slated for 7pm.