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NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team earned a 64-52 home America East Conference women's basketball victory over visiting New Hampshire led by sophomore Alejandra Zuniga's game-best 18 points Thursday evening in action inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.
With the win, NJIT splits the season series, 1-1, while the Highlanders move to 2-11 in the America East, 10-16 overall. New Hampshire falls to 3-10 in the league and 9-17 overall.
In addition to Zuniga's game-best 18 points, graduate student Kenna Squier registered 14 points, followed by Marissa Gingrich (8pts), Aria Myers (7pts) and Madilyn Dogs (6pts). Gingrich, a freshman from Mifflin County, PA, made her first collegiate start, netting eight points, six rebounds, four rebounds and three steals (all new personal-best marks for the freshman).
NJIT led by 11 at the half, 30-19, saw New Hampshire explode for 20-third quarter points , cutting the NJIT lead to single digits, seven, 46-39. The Wildcats rallied back to pull within two, 52-50, with 3:15 left in the game but a New Hampshire technical foul saw a seven-point swing in favor of the home team, 57-50, with 2:20 to go. The Highlanders closed out the game in the final 2:45 on a 12-2 spurt to secure the 64-52 America East home victory.
NJIT's Marissa Gingrich scored six of NJIT's first eight points to begin the first quarter to take an 8-4 lead. New Hampshire scored eight straight to take a 12-9 lead with less than two minutes to go but NJIT went on a short 5-0 spurt to hold on to a two-point lead, 14-12.
The Highlanders continued its run into the second quarter behind a 13-3 spurt over 6:24 for a seven-point lead, 22-15, at the 5:33 mark. NJIT finished out the quarter on an 8-2 run to head into the locker room with an 11-point lead, 30-19, while outscoring the visiting Wildcats 16-7.
To start the third quarter, NJIT scored the first six points and extended its lead to 17, 39-22, on a three-pointer by Alejandra Zuniga. New Hampshire used a 12-2 spurt over a span of 4:32 to slim the Highlander lead to single digits, seven, 46-39, including six straight in the final 2:40, to close out the third quarter.
NJIT's Kenna Squier opened the scoring in the fourth quarter, knocking down a three-pointer for a 10-point lead, 49-39, but the Wildcats scored four straight to close the gap to six, 49-43. New Hampshire scored seven straight to pull within two, 52-50, with three minutes on the clock.
NJIT will be back in action on Saturday at 2pm when the Highlanders host Maine.
