NEWARK, NJ–After three America East Conference games on the road, the NJIT women's basketball team returns to Newark for a pair of games this week inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.

Game Information
The game is slated to start at 3pm inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com.  The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

All-Time Series
UMBC leads the all-time series 4-2 and has won the last three matchups.  NJIT and UMBC met three times in 2023 with the margin of nine or less points, including a buzzer beater on January 25, 2023 by Laycce Drake which made Sportscenter #1.

NJIT Notes
–NJIT 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). 
–The Highlanders are in search of its first win in 2024 and in America East Conference action, dropping its last six contests.
–NJIT led by 2023 America East Conference Rookie of the Year Alejandra Zuniga, is averaging 15.3ppg, which ranks six in the league.
–Trinity Williams tops the America East in blocked shots, averaging 1.7bpg.  As a team, NJIT is ranked 19th nationally in blocks per game (5.2).  Williams paces the Highlanders on the boards with 6.4rpg while adding 9.3ppg.

Last Time Out
Bryant topped visiting NJIT 73-64, in America East Conference women's basketball action inside the Chace Athletic Center Thursday evening.

Zuniga, who led NJIT with 18 points, followed by Trinity Williams 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, Kenna Squier adding 10 points, finishing 4-for-7 from the field and Kiana Brereton chipped in nine points off the bench in 15 minutes of action.  Brereton went 3-for-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.

Freshman Madilyn Dogs pulled down a team-best eight rebounds and Lyzi Litwinko filled up the box score with six points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Highlanders.

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.

Scouting UMBC
UMBC enters Saturday looking to snap a four-game skid with a 6-12 overall record, 2-4 in the America East.

The Retrievers had won five out six games from December 5, 2023 to January 6, 2024 before dropping its last four.

UMBC has a pair of wins over Binghamton and Bryant.

Anna Blout is the lone Retriever averaging double-digits at 11.6ppg and tops the team in rebounds with 6.7rpg.

Next Up
NJIT will host Binghamton on February 1 at 7pm.

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