NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will round out its four-game homestand on Saturday, November 18.
Game Information
Tip off is slated for 7pm inside Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center produced on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com. How to Watch?
Women's Basketball Attendance Record (Non-Education Day Game) at the WEC
The 1,631 fans on Sunday, November 12 against No. 10 Notre Dame were the most fans at a regular season women's basketball game, non-Education Day contest.
3-1 Start for Highlanders
The Highlanders started off the season 3-1 for the first time since the 2012-13 season. NJIT opened up the season at Army West Point (Nov. 6) and came away with a 73-57 road victory, pulled out an overtime home victory at home over first time opponent Merrimack (Nov. 10) 48-45, paced by Trinity Williams double-double (12pts, 11reb) and had four players score in double-figures in the home win over Rider. The Highlanders lone loss came against top-10 team Notre Dame.
Nov. 6 | at Army West Point | W, 73-57
Nov. 10 | vs. Merrimack | W, 48-45 (OT)
Nov. 12 | vs. #10 Notre Dame | 57-104
Nov. 15 | vs. Rider | W, 70-57
A Win on Saturday...
--NJIT will start the season 4-1 for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
USA TODAY Preseason Top 25 (as of October 17, 2023) | Full Release
For the first time in women's basketball program history, the Highlanders have two USA TODAY Preseason Top-25 teams on the non-conference schedule.
Notre Dame, who the Highlanders hosted in Newark on November 12 at 2pm ranked 10th while Miami (FL), who NJIT will visit on December 3, rounded out the Top-25 in the preseason poll are currently receiving votes.
Four Teams Reaching Postseason in 2023 on the Highlanders Non-Conference Slate
NJIT women's basketball head coach Mike Lane announced the non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 season, which includes four teams that reached postseason in 2023 and is highlighted by a visit from Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent Notre Dame and a trip south to Miami (FL).
For the first time in program history, NJIT will host Notre Dame on Sunday, November 12 inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center. The Irish, who reached the 2023 NCAA Sweet Sixteen, finished with a 27-6 overall record. NJIT's Lane is a 1993 graduate of Notre Dame, where he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing.
Miami, who the Highlanders will visit for the first time on December 3, reached the 2023 NCAA Elite Eight, finishing with a 22-13 overall record.
The Highlanders will make a short trip to Northeast Conference regular season champion Fairleigh Dickinson (24-8 overall, 14-2 NEC) on November 29. FDU earned an automatic qualifier bid to the 2023 WNIT due to the Knights winning the NEC regular season title.
NJIT will travel to 2023 Northeast Conference Champion Sacred Heart (19-14 overall, 12-4 NEC) on December 6. The Pioneers registered the first NCAA Tournament win in program history and the first win for a Northeast Conference women's team.
Last Time Out
Four players reached double-figures to lead NJIT past visiting Rider, 70-57, in women's basketball non-conference action inside the Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
Leading by six at the half, 36-30, NJIT poured in 20 third-quarter points and pushed its lead to as many as 15, 56-41. Rider cut the Highlander deficit down to eight points in the fourth quarter, 56-48 but the Highlanders responded on a 14-3 spurt, taking its largest lead of the day, 70-52 and secured NJIT third win of the season with a 70-57 victory.
NJIT's Trinity Williams and Madilyn Dogs scored a game-best 15 points followed by Alejandra Zuniga (12) and Kenna Squier.
Dogs, a freshman from Kewaskum, WI, set a new personal-best mark with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line. She also added five rebounds and three steals.
Williams was one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds while shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Williams added two blocks and one steal.
News & Notes on NJIT
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Top five scorers return from a season ago – Alejandra Zuniga (12.3), Kenna Squier (11.0), Trinity Williams (10.2), Aria Myers (8.9) and Lyzi Litwinko (8.8).
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Ready for her second season in a Highlander uniform is Alejandra Zuniga, who was selected America East Rookie of the Year, becoming the first player in NJIT women's basketball program history to be named to the accolade, including America East Third Team, America East All-Rookie Team.
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The 31 points scored by Zuniga against Binghamton on February 15, 2023 are the most points scored by a freshman since the 2008 season.
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Back for her graduate year, Kenna Squier was selected to the America East Conference third team. She currently sits fourth in the NJIT DI era with 1,161 points (7th all-time), 502 rebounds, 237 assists (5th in NJIT DI era), 141 steams (T-2nd DI era; T-10th all-time) and 106 games played/started (T-9th in NJIT DI era).
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Forward Trinity Williams started 28 games, putting up 10.2 points and a team-high 6.1 boards per game with 42 blocks
New Kids on the Block | Full Release
Madilyn Dogs, Guard, Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum High School
Audrey Kormann, Forward, Maple Grove, MN/Maple Grove Senior High
Marissa Gingrich, Guard, Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County High School
Mackenzie Wright-Rawls, Forward, York, PA/Central York High School
Angelina Banas, Forward, Columbus, NJ/Notre Dame High School
America East Conference
NJIT will begin its fourth 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 fifth in the 2023-24 preseason coaches poll, receiving 38 votes.
The Highlanders, which made its third consecutive appearance in the 2023 America East postseason tournament, concluded its season with a 13-16 overall mark and 8-8 in the America East.
Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops home game on The AE on ESPN with all games airing on ESPN+ or ESPN3 domestically and AmericaEast.TV internationally.
Scouting Wagner Seahawks
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Wagner dropped its second consecutive game to open the season with a 51-48 overtime loss at Hofstra on November 12.
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Through the first two games, Paige Lyons, a transfer from East Carolina, leads the Seahawks with 10.5ppg while freshman Kiera Edmonds has tallied at least six rebounds in the first two games.
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The NEC head coaches picked Wagner to finish third in the league behind defending champions Sacred Heart and Merrimack, selected second in the poll.
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Last season, the Seahawks combined for a 13-15 overall record, 8-8 in the NEC, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament.
Next Up
After playing four in a row at home, NJIT will play its next five games on the road, first visiting Lafayette before the Thanksgiving Holiday on November 22 at 6pm.
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
