VIDEO: NJIT Highlights at Sacred Heart
FAIRFIELD, CT–The NJIT women's basketball fell on the road at Sacred Heart, 57-48, Wednesday evening in women's basketball non-conference action at the William H Pitt Athletic & Convocation Center.
The Pioneers, the 2023 Northeast Conference Champions, who registered their first NCAA Tournament win a season ago, improves to 5-5 on the season while the Highlanders move to an even 5-5 with three non-conference games slated for the remainder of 2023.
Leading the way was 2023 Northeast Conference Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Ny'Ceara Pryor, who posted a game-best 20 points followed by Nalyce Dudley's 12 points.
Kenna Squier paced NJIT with a team-best 12 points and Alejandra Zuniga combined for 10 points. Freshman Madilyn Dogs led all players with eight rebounds as the Highlanders held a huge advantage on the glass, 47-to-29.
Trinity Williams added eight points and seven rebounds. Squier and Zuniga also grabbed seven rebounds.
Sacred Heart took an early 11-6 lead after the first 10 minutes and NJIT answered with a 7-2 run midday through the second quarter, sparked by a layup from Alejandra Zuniga to slim the Pioneer deficit to two, 15-13, just under the five-minute mark.
The Pioneers went on a 7-2 run of their own in the second stanza, taking a seven-point lead, 22-15 at the 3:06 mark. NJIT scored the final four points of the first half, pulling within three, 22-19 at halftime.
NJIT had three players – Trinity Williams, Alejandra Zuniga and Lilly Anderson each scored four points while all 11 Highlanders who entered the first half pulled down at least one rebound paced by Williams with a game-best five.
Sacred Heart outscored the Highlanders in the third quarter 19-10. NJIT only down four with two minutes left in the period saw the Pioneers finish off the third quarter on a 8-0 run to take a 41-29 advantage.
NJIT came out on fire in the fourth quarter behind an 11-2 run and cut the Pioneer lead down to three, 43-40, after a 6-0 spurt in a span of 1:06 with 6:11 on the clock. NJIT's Squier and Zuniga with four points in the 11-2 spurt.
A 6-2 run for Sacred Heart pushed its lead to as many as seven, 51-44, with two minutes left to play. The Highlanders trimmed the lead down to as many as four, 52-48, after a pair of free throws made by Zuniga with one minute to play but the Pioneers would score the final five points from the free throw line to secure the 57-48 home victory.
Next Up
NJIT, which wrapped its 2023 regular season road schedule, will play the next three games at home before ringing in the New Year. NJIT will first welcome Saint Peter's (Dec. 12 at 7pm), Saint Francis U (Dec. 15 at 6pm) and as part of a doubleheader with the NJIT men, NJIT will host LIU (Dec. 31 at 1pm) followed by the NJIT men vs. Morgan State at 4:30pm inside the Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
Stay Connected
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