Women’s Basketball Heads to UMBC for First America East Conference Road Trip

1/8/2025 11:00:00 AM

NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will head south to UMBC for the Highlanders first America East Conference road trip of the season.

Game Information
Thursday's game is set to tip at 6:30pm on ESPN+ inside the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. In-game statistics are available on UMBCRetrievers.com.

All-Time Series
UMBC leads the all-time series, 5-3. NJIT won the last meeting between the two teams, 77-76 in overtime on February 29, 2024. Prior to that, UMBC has won four straight.

Last Time Out
Freshman Olivia Kulyk registered a double-double, scoring a career-best 21 points and pulling down 12 rebounds leading the Highlanders to a 58-49 home victory over visiting Binghamton in the America East Conference opener Thursday evening inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.

Kulyk, a three-time America East Conference Rookie of the Week honoree, finished with a game-best 21 points on 6-of-16 from the field, 4-of-11 from three-point range, 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Her 12 rebounds is a new personal-best.

Alejandra Zuniga chipped in nine points and dished out three assists in the win while Trinity Williams returned back to the court after missing the last month due to injury, combining for eight points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes.

Guards Enya Maguire and Aria Myers each added six and five points respectively for the Highlanders.

4X America East Rookie of the Week - Olivia Kulyk
Freshman Olivia Kulyk has been selected both America East Conference Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

Kulyk picks up her first Player of the Week honor and tabs her fourth Rookie of the Week selection.

In one game this week for the Highlanders, Kulyk combined for her first career double-double, netting a career-best 21 points and 12 rebounds in NJIT's 58-49 win over Binghamton.

The 21 points and 12 rebounds are both career-highs for the guard from Edinboro, PA and has posted double-figures in nine out of 11 games this season.

In the America East, Kulyk ranks in the top nine in scoring (11.3), tops the league in three-point field goal percentage (40.6) and three-point field goals made (2.4).

1,000 Career Points and Counting
Rising junior Alejandra Zuniga became the 13th Highlander to score 1,000 career points after a tough driving right-handed layup with 2:38 left in the game against Monmouth on December 9, 2024. Zuniga stands at 1,044 points, which ranks 11th all-time in program history.

Highlander Highlights

NJIT has won two in a row (at LIU, 12/30/24) and (vs. Binghamton, 1/2/25). The last time NJIT won back-to-back games dates back to 2024, when NJIT defeated (UMBC, February 29 and Bryant, March 2).
The last time NJIT won three in a row was last season: Dec. 12 vs. Saint Peter's, Dec. 15 vs. Saint Francis U and Dec. 31 vs. LIU).
The Highlanders closed out 2024 with a win over LIU, 89-60, led by five players reaching double-figures.
NJIT concluded its non-conference slate 3-10, dropping six games by five or less points this season, including a one-point overtime loss Hostra (L, 69-74), Army West Point (L, 68-69 (OT)), Lafayette (L, 69-71), Saint Peter's (L, 60-65), Coppin State (L, 61-63) and Wagner (W, 62-60).
The Highlanders secured its first win of the season at Saint Francis U, an 80-60 road victory. The 80 points are the most scored by the Highlanders this season.
Alejandra Zuniga is averaging 17.6ppg and 2.8rpg while shooting 46.9% from the field. She has scored 20+ points or more in six games this season, including a season-best 26 at Rutgers. Zuniga ranks second in the conference in scoring and third in assists.
Zuniga became the 13th Highlander to score 1,000 career points after a tough driving right-handed layup with 2:38 left in the game against Monmouth on December 9, 2024. Zuniga stands with 1,044 points which ranks 11th in program history.
Freshman Olivia Kulyk has been named America East Rookie of the Week four times and Player of the Week once this season. She is averaging 11.3ppg and 4.8rpg. In the America East, Kulyk ranks in the top nine in scoring (11.3), tops the league in three-point field goal percentage (40.6) and three-point field goals made (2.4).
After missing the month of December due to injury, the Highlanders welcomed back senior forward Trinity Williams against Binghamton. Williams finished the game with eight points, four rebounds on 4-of-5 from the field in 23 minutes.
As a team, NJIT ranks first in the America East in scoring (68.1 ppg), blocked shots (4.07 bpg) and second in three-point field goals made (8.4 pg).
Head Coach Mike Lane is in his seventh season at the helm of the Highlanders. NJIT went 12-18 overall, 4-12 in the America East and advanced to the America East Postseason Tournament for the fourth straight time.

The Week That Was

UAlbany started conference play by snapping a five-game losing streak to Vermont. The Great Danes led 32-6 late in the first half and held off a late UVM run for the 64-55 victory. They followed that up with a 53-39 win at UMass Lowell on Saturday.
Maine outlasted UMass Lowell 54-39 in its opener and then shot 62% and scored 46 second-half points against Bryant to win 87-64.
NJIT won its second straight contest by outscoring Binghamton 17-2 in the final nine minutes of regulation on the way to a 58-49 victory.
The Catamounts rebounded from their opening loss for a 72-52 win over UNH, while Bryant won its opener 61-49 against the Wildcats.
Binghamton is 1-1 in league play after beating UMBC 60-50 on Saturday.

Looking Ahead

The Black Bears are on the road at Binghamton Thursday and UAlbany on Saturday in a pair of tough road contests. UNH plays the same two teams, facing the Great Danes on Thursday and Bearcats on Saturday.
Vermont hosts UMass Lowell at 11 a.m. on Thursday in its school game before welcoming Bryant on Saturday.
NJIT will play twice this week, traveling to UMBC on Thursday and then hosting UMass Lowell on Saturday.

Scouting UMBC Retrievers
UMBC enters Thursday's match up with a 7-6 overall record, 0-1 in the America East, most recently dropping a 60-50 decision to Binghamton.

Jordan Lewis paces the Retrievers in points (11.7) while Jaden Walker is averaging 9.5ppg and topping the team on the boards (6.1) and total blocks (6). Lewis ranks seventh in the America East in scoring and fourth in field goal percentage (44.3%).

Next Up
NJIT will return home on Saturday at 1pm, hosting UMass Lowell inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center.

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.

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Women’s Basketball Heads to UMBC for First America East Conference Road Trip