| Game 15 |
UMass Lowell (1-13, 1-1 AE) at NJIT (8-6, 0-1 AE) |
| Date | Time |
Thursday, January 11, 2024 | 11am |
| Location | Arena |
Newark, NJ | Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center |
| Live Video |
ESPN+ |
| Live Stats |
In-game stats (free) |
| Game Notes |
NJIT Notes | UML Notes |
NEWARK, NJ–After opening the America East Conference on the road last weekend, the NJIT women's basketball team will return home on Thursday for an 11am matinee, hosting UMass Lowell inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
Education Day
Education Day is a field trip that gives local elementary and middle-school students an opportunity to participate in educational activities while attending a basketball game. Elementary schools will have a chance to tour the campus of NJIT and the WEC before the start of the game.
Game Information
Tip off is slated for 11am inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center. The game will be on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com.
All-Time Series
NJIT leads the all-time series, 6-4 and has won the last five meetings.
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.
Win No. 50 at NJIT for Head Coach Mike Lane
The victory over LIU was win #50 for head coach Mike Lane since taking over the reins at NJIT in 2018-19.
The Fast Lane
The upward progression under Lane since taking over in 2018-19, has the Highlanders qualifying for four consecutive appearances in the America East Conference Tournament, second-most overall wins in 2021-22 (15 wins), a program-best nine wins in league play (9) and finishing the non-conference slate above .500 for the first time in the NJIT DI era, which began in 2006-07.
2018-19: 6-24, 3-13 ASUN
2019-20: 4-25, 1-15 ASUN
2020-21: 4-14, 4-9 AE
2021-22: 15-15, 9-8 AE
2022-23: 13-16, 8-8 AE
2023-24: 8-6, 0-1 AE
Highlanders Finished Non-Conference Slate with a Winning Record at 8-5
The Highlanders finished the non-conference slate above .500 with an 8-5 mark for the first time in the NJIT Division I era (first season competing against a Division I schedule – 2006-07).
Back for her Graduate Year - Kenna Squier
Squier was selected to the America East Conference third team. She moved into second in the NJIT DI era after the Highlanders win over Saint Peter's on December 12 and currently stands with 1,287 points (2nd NJIT DI era; 5th all-time), 541 rebounds, 249 assists (5th in NJIT DI era), 166 steals (1st DI era; 8th all-time) and 117 games played/started (T-5th in NJIT DI era).
The guard from Branchville, NJ, tied the NJIT Division I single-game record with seven steals in the Highlanders win at FDU on November 29.
Picking Up Where She Left Off - Alejandra Zuniga
Ready for her second season in a Highlander uniform is Zuniga, who was selected America East Rookie of the Year, became 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.
The 31 points scored by Zuniga against Binghamton on February 15, 2023 are the most points scored by a freshman since the 2008 season.
This season, Zuniga paces the Highlanders with 14.7ppg and has scored in double-digits in 13 out of 14 games this season, including three 20-point contests (season-high 23 at Army). Zuniga ranks sixth in the America East in scoring.
Block Party
NJIT currently ranks 14th in the nation with 5.6 blocks per game. NJIT is led by Trinity Williams who is blocking a league-best 1.7 shots per game, followed by freshman Madilyn Dogs at 1.2 blocks per contest.
Four Teams Reaching Postseason in 2023 on the Highlanders 2023 Non-Conference Slate
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.
For the first time in program history, NJIT hosted 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 visited for the first time on December 3, reached the 2023 NCAA Elite Eight, finishing with a 22-13 overall record.
The Highlanders made 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, which dropped the previous eight meetings with the Knights, snapped the losing streak on November 29 coming out on top with a 61-46 victory.
Scouting UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell enters Thursday's game with a 1-13 overall record, 1-1 in the America East. The River Hawks are coming off its first win of the season, a 70-53 victory over New Hampshire on January 6.
Graduate student Mili Carrea scored a team-high 18 points, shooting 6-11 from the field. She shot 5-9 from behind the arc, setting career-highs in 3FGs made and attempted. The veteran also tallied seven assists in the afternoon, setting a new career high, and tied her career-best with three steals.
The Lima, Peru native leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 9.9 points per game, and has hit double figures in six contests so far this year.
Sydney Watkins paces the River Hawks on the boards with 6.1rpg and 45 assists.
Next Up
NJIT will welcome Vermont on Saturday, January 13 at 1pm.
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
