ESPN+ Drew Casey and Head Coach Mike Lane Post Game Report vs. Lafayette
NEWARK, NJ–Visiting Lafayette slipped past NJIT behind three double-figure scorers en route to a 71-69 road victory Wednesday evening inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center in women's basketball non-conference action.
Lafayette snaps a three-game skid, improving to 2-4 on the season while the Highlanders move to 2-6 on the year.
In the last 1:48 of the game, Alejandra Zuniga connected on three consecutive three-pointers, the final with eighteen seconds left to play and pulled NJIT within two of the Leopards, 71-69. Lafayette missed a pair of free throws with fifteen seconds on the clock, giving NJIT a chance to tie the game or go for the win but the Highlanders were unable to get a clean look at the basket as the Leopards would hold on for the road victory.
Zuniga, who has scored 20+ points in five games this season, finished with 24 on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 from three-point range. She added six rebounds and four assists for NJIT.
Post Audrey Kormann scored a personal-best 11 points and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds to go along with two blocks.
Lafayette's Abby Antognoli registered 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists followed by Kay Donahue with 18 points, six rebounds and Emma Shields who posted a double-double 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Audrey Kormann scored the first five points, including a three-pointer off the glass for the Highlanders as Lafayette held a three-point advantage, 8-5, heading into the under-five media timeout. The Leopards pushed its lead to 11-5 but NJIT used a 7-0 run to take a 12-11 lead at the 2:45 mark. Alejandra Zuniga connected on a three-pointer from the top of the key for a one-point lead 15-14.
Olivia O'Meally netted five straight to begin the second quarter to take a three-point lead, 20-17. Both teams traded points over the next three minutes and Enya Maguire sank a three-pointer for a one-point lead, 28-27, at the 2:30 mark. The Leopards finished the final 1:07 on a 5-2 spurt for a two-point lead, heading into the half ahead 32-30.
Lafayette's Abby Antognoli led all players with 11 points followed by NJIT's Alejandra Zuniga with eight points after the first 20 minutes.
The Leopards took a four-point lead, 36-32, to begin the third quarter but NJIT's Allison Cannon scored five straight, resulting in a Lafayette timeout to put the Highlanders up 37-36 at the 6:36 mark. NJIT increased its lead to 45-42 after a three-pointer by Zuniga at the 3:01 mark but the Leopards would use a 7-2 spurt to take a 49-47 lead at the end of the third period.
Lafayette stayed hot to begin the fourth stanza behind a 10-2 run over the last 3:27, increasing their lead to seven, 56-49, resulting in an NJIT timeout. The Highlanders went on a 7-2 spurt sparked by a three-pointer from Enya Maguire to close the Leopards gap to within two, 62-60, resulting in a Lafayette timeout at the 3:28 mark. A three-pointer by Zuniga from the top of the arc pulled NJIT to within one, 64-63, with 1:50 on the clock.
Next Up
NJIT will open the month of December at nearby Saint Peter's in Jersey City. Tip off is slated for 2pm on ESPN+.
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