JERSEY CITY, NJ–Saint Peter's sophomore Fatmata Janneh posted a double-double (25 points, 21 rebounds) leading the Peacocks to its first win of the season over visiting NJIT, 65-60, in non-conference women's basketball action Sunday afternoon inside the Victor R. Yanitelli Life Center.
Saint Peter's improved to 1-6 on the season while the Highlanders moved to 2-7.
NJIT's junior Alejandra Zuniga led the visiting Highlanders with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals while graduate student Aria Myers came off the bench to score 14 points and grabbed four rebounds.
As a team, NJIT shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line (all coming in the fourth quarter).
In addition to Janneh's game-high 25 points, DeNaya Rippey netted 12 points off the bench for Saint Peter's.
The Peacocks out-rebounded the Highlanders 45-to-27, paced by a career-best 21 rebounds by Janneh. Highlanders 5–foot-6 guard Zuniga pulled down a team-best six rebounds.
Enya Maguire scored the first six points of the game for NJIT from downtown and the Highlanders held a two-point lead, 11-9 at the three minute mark. Marissa Gingrich connected on a pair of three-pointers off the bench and knocked down a three to tie the game at 14-all at the end of the first quarter.
Both teams went back and forth in the second quarter with neither team leading by more than three points. Alejandra Zuniga scored the last five points, including the final basket of the half, a driving layup to give the Highlanders a 27-24.
Saint Peter's took its biggest lead of the contest, 39-31, behind a 10-0 spurt with 2:40 on the clock. NJIT went on a short run, 6-2, to close out the quarter only down by four, 41-37.
NJIT rallied in the fourth quarter, slimming the Peacock lead to only one, 47-46, after a pair of free throws by Zuniga at the 5:09 mark and then knotted the game at 51-all after a three-pointer by Myers with 3:13 on the clock. The Peacocks used a 10-4 spurt, increasing its lead to six, 61-55, with less than a minute to play and held on for the programs first win of the season, 65-60.
Next Up
NJIT will play the next two at home welcoming first-time opponent Coppin State on December 3 at 6pm and Monmouth on December 9 at 7pm.
Stay Connected
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