NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will close out the 2023 regular season on Saturday, hosting UAlbany in America East Conference action.

Game Information
Tip-off is slated for 2pm inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.  The contest will be streamed live on ESPN3 with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com.

Senior Day Ceremony
In pregame ceremonies, which will begin at 1:50pm, NJIT will honor its six graduating seniors – Kenna Squier, Kendle Dalrymple, Grace Plummer, Maria Fux, Kennedy Cash and Dani Evans.

All-Time Series
UAlbany leads the all-time series, 6-1.  

America East Conference
The Highlanders have clinched a spot into the postseason tournament with the No. 5 seed.

This season, NJIT registered three season series sweeps against New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, Binghamton and a home victory against Bryant and a big road win at Maine.

After Saturday's full slate of America East Conference games, the America East Conference will announce the 2023 Postseason Tournament bracket with seedings and matchups.

The Fast Lane
2018-19: 6-24, 3-13 ASUN
2019-20: 4-25, 1-15 AE
2020-21: 4-14, 4-9 AE
2021-22: 15-15, 9-8 AE
2022-23: 13-14, 8-7 AE

The 13 wins are two shy of the 15-win output from a season ago which marked the second highest win total in the Division I era.  The eight wins in the America East are one shy of the program-best nine wins accomplished last season.

Two in a Row for Alejandra Zuniga - Fourth of the Season
Zuniga, picked up her second consecutive Rookie of the Week honor and fourth of the season, averaging 22.0ppg, 4.5rpg and 4.5apg in a 1-1 week for the Highlanders.

The 5-foot-6 guard scored a career-best 31 points to lead NJIT to a 75-70 home victory over visiting Binghamton Wednesday evening. The 31 points scored by Zuniga are the most points scored by a freshman since the 2007-08 season when Jessica Gerald '11 scored a school-record 37 points against Cal-State Bakersfield.  

Zuniga is the second player to score 30+ in conference play this year, joining Adrianna Smith who has tallied 30+ points three times.

Scouting UAlbany
UAlbany enters Saturday's contest on a four-game win streak, most recently a three-point victory over Maine, 53-50.

UAlbany currently sits in second place in the America East with a 19-10 overall record and 13-2 in the conference.

Kayla Cooper, the reigning America East Conference Player of the Week, led the Great Danes to a 2-0 week, recording a team-high 11.0 rebounds per game and added 18.0 points per game and 3.0 assists per game. Notching two double-doubles against UMBC and Maine, the junior guard earned her second-straight Player of the Week honor.

Helene Haegerstrand ranks third in the America East in scoring (15.1ppg) and fourth in field goal percentage (49.0).

Cooper is second on the team averaging 14.9ppg and 8.1rpg followed by Ellen Hahne at 11.6ppg and 6.0rpg.