VIDEO: NJIT Highlights at New Hampshire
DURHAM, NH–NJIT opened the month of February with a 70-67 America East victory at New Hampshire led by freshman Alejandra Zuniga's team-best 17 points Wednesday evening inside Lundholm Gymnasium.
NJIT, which earned the season series sweep over New Hampshire, picked up its fifth win in the America East, improving to 5-4 in the league and 10-11 overall. New Hampshire moves to 1-8 in the America East and 6-15 overall.
Tied at 53-all heading into the fourth quarter, New Hampshire took a three-point lead, 62-59, just under the four-minute mark. NJIT knotted the game at 62 after three straight points by Maria Fux but the Wildcats would regain the lead, 64-62, on a bucket by Brooke Kane.
NJIT's Kendle Dalrymple sank a three-pointer at the 1:21 mark for a 65-64 lead and Kenna Squier connected on a three-pointer of her own from the top of the arc for a three-point advantage, 68-65, with 1:00 left in regulation.
New Hampshire pulled within one of the Highlanders, 68-67, but NJIT's Trinity Williams knocked down a pair of free throws with :13 seconds to give NJIT a 70-67 lead and held on for the road victory.
Zuniga paced NJIT with 17 points followed by Kenna Squier, who filled up the box score with 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. The 5-foot-8 guard finished the game 6-for-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range.
Reese Vaughan and Kendle Dalrymple chipped in nine points each off the bench for the Highlanders. Vaughan went 3-for-4 from behind the arch while Dalrymple was a perfect 3-for-3 from long range.
Fux scored six points and pulled down seven rebounds while Williams added six points and four rebounds.
New Hampshire's Adara Groman led all players with 23 points on 7-of-11 from the field followed by Brooke Kane who finished with a double-double – 14 points and 10 rebounds.
NJIT scored the first points of the contest and took a 7-4 lead on a three-pointer by Aria Myers at the 6:12 mark. New Hampshire used a 6-2 run to get in front 13-9 just under the four-minute mark. Freshman Alejandra Zuniga scored the next five points to pull NJIT within one, 13-12, but the Wildcats took a six-point lead after five quick points for a 18-12 lead. NJIT scored the final four points of the quarter for a two-point game, 18-16, after the opening 10 minutes. Zuniga led all players with seven points.
NJIT used a 10-2 run midway through the second quarter and regained the lead capped by a three-pointer off the glass by Reese Vaughan, 32-26, at the 3:18 mark. Squier connected on a three-pointer at the two-minute mark for a seven-point advantage, 35-28. NJIT went into the locker room ahead by four, 35-31, paced by Squier and Zuniga with seven points apiece.
Both teams went back and forth to open the third quarter with neither team leading by more than two points. NJIT's Zuniga scored back-to-back buckets midway through the quarter to put the Highlanders back on top, 46-44, at the 4:11 mark. After a 46-46 tie, NJIT took a 51-49 lead after her third three-pointer of the night by Vaughan at the two minute mark. At the end of the third quarter, the score remained tied at 53-all.
NJIT will play the next two games at home inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center, beginning on Saturday at 3pm, hosting UMass Lowell. Saturday will be NJIT's Pink Game.
In the first meeting of the season between NJIT and UMass Lowell, NJIT recorded a 60-56 road win on January 1, 2023.
