NJIT Highlights at Rutgers
PISCATAWAY, NJ–Junior Alejandra Zuniga scored a team-high 26 points as the Highlanders fell at Rutgers, 94-84, in women's basketball non-conference action inside the Jersey Mike's Arena.
Rutgers improves to 3-0 while NJIT moves to 1-2 on the young season.
In addition to Zuniga's 26 points, freshman Allison Cannon netted a personal-best 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field while classmate Olivia Kulyk scored 11 points. Enya Maguire added nine points followed by Marissa Gingrich (6) and Mackenzie Wright-Rawls (6). Kulyk pulled down six boards.
Rutgers Destiny Adams led all players, posting a double-double 36 points and 22 rebounds to go along with two blocks to lead Rutgers to victory. Kiyomi McMiller came off the bench and scored 25 points and Chyna Cornwell grabbed 15 rebounds as the Scarlet Knights outrebounded the Highlanders 61-to-35.
NJIT got things going early in the first quarter, using an 8-1 spurt to take a 16-11 lead with 4:11 on the clock. The Highlanders were shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from beyond the arc in the opening six minutes. Rutgers closed the gap to within one, 20-19, behind a 9-3 run to end the first quarter.
Rutgers pushed its lead to as many as nine in the second quarter, 35-27, using a 7-3 run at the 6:42 mark. A pair of consecutive three-pointers by Olivia O'Meally and Alejandra Zuniga sparked an 8-0 run for the Highlanders, which knotted the game at 35-all at the 4:49 mark. Rutgers would extend its lead to only four, 41-37, but a 5-2 run, capped by an old-fashioned three-point play by Zuniga tied the game at 44-all with forty-three seconds in the first half. Rutgers sank a pull-up three-pointer as time expired in the second quarter, giving the Scarlet Knights a three-point advantage, 47-44 at the half.
Zuniga led all scorers after the first 20 minutes with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field (3-for-5 from three-point) followed by Enya Maguire (6pts) and Marissa Gingrich (5pts) and Olivia Kulyk (5pts).
NJIT shot an impressive 44.7 percent from the field (17-for-38) and 45 percent from three-point range (9-for-20).
The third quarter saw Rutgers increase its lead to seven, 51-44, after the first four points of the quarter. NJIT worked its way back and cut the deficit to two, 51-49, on a driving layup by Zuniga at the 8:05 mark. Rutgers scored six straight points and increased its lead to as many as eight, 57-49. A pair of free throws by Olivia Kulyk brought the Highlanders within six, 57-51, but the Scarlet Knights scored six unanswered in a span of a minute to take a 63-51 lead with 1:35 left in the period.
Rutgers held a double-digit advantage through the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 17, 89-72.
As a team, NJIT finished the game shooting 78.3 percent from the free throw line (18-for-23) and tied a season-best 14 assists (14 vs. Hofstra, 11.8.24).
Next Up
NJIT will return back home on November 13, hosting two-time defending Northeast Conference Champions Sacred Heart. Tip off is slated for 6pm on ESPN+.
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