VIDEO: Post Game Interview w/ Head Coach Mike Lane and Olivia Kulyk
VIDEO: Post Game Wrap Up w/ Assistant Coach Colleen Moriarty
NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team earned a 68-57 home victory over UMass Lowell in America East Conference women's basketball action inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center on Education Day.
NJIT, which hosted its annual Education Day game Thursday morning, improved to 12-6 overall, 3-2 in the America East in front of 2,326 grade school students from 27 schools from Essex and Bergen County. The 2,326 fans is a new attendance record for a women's basketball (Education Day & Non-Education Day) games.
Sophomore Olivia Kulyk led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field and knocking down four three-pointers to go along with six rebounds.
Transfer Ava Locklear combined for a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-11 from the field to go along with four steals.
Allison Cannon filled up the box score, chipping in 13 points, six assists, six rebounds and three steals.
Alejandra Zuniga added nine points and dished out a new career-mark of 10 assists.
UMass Lowell got off to a quick 6-2 start and the Highlanders took its first lead of the game 14-13 on a 6-2 spurt of their own capped by a three-pointer by Olivia Kulyk at the 2:34 mark. Both teams traded baskets over the last two minutes and were tied at 18-all after the first 10.
The River Hawks scored the first 12 points of the second half for its biggest lead of the game, 30-10. Alejandra Zuniga knocked down a three-pointer from the wing to get the Highlanders going in the second quarter and NJIT went on a 13-2 run to cut the River Hawk lead to one, 32-31, on a backdoor cut and layup by Allison Cannon.
NJIT scored the first seven points of the third quarter and used a 14-2 run to push its lead to as many as 12, 45-34, on a jumper in the paint by Olivia Kulyk at the three-minute mark on the clock. The Highlanders took a 11-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, 50-39, out-scoring the visitors 19-7.
In the fourth quarter, NJIT extended its lead to as many as 17, 60-43, behind eight straight points for the Highlanders at the 4:52 mark. UMass Lowell went on an 8-0 run of their own, cutting the Highlander lead to single digits, eight, 62-54, at the 2:14 mark. NJIT remained in control scoring six straight for a 14-point lead, 68-54, and would secure the 68-57 home victory over UMass Lowell.
Next Up
NJIT will visit Bryant on Saturday at 2pm on ESPN+.
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