​NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will play the first of three straight at home when the Highlanders welcome UMBC on Thursday.

Game Information
Tip off is slated for 6pm inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com

All-Time Series
NJIT leads the all-time series, 6-5.

The Highlanders have won four straight against the Retrievers.
1/1/26 - NJIT 80, UMBC 75
1/22/25 - NJIT 83, UMBC 65
1/9/25 - NJIT 83, UMBC 55
2/9/24 - NJIT 77, UMBC 76 (OT)

Last Time Out vs. UMBC | January 1, 2026
NJIT 80, NJIT 75
NJIT rang in the New Year with an America East Conference road win at UMBC, 80-75, behind senior Alejandra Zuniga's historic night, scoring a program-record 39 points in the league opener Thursday evening inside the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in women's basketball action.

Zuniga's program-record 39 points, broke the 18-year standing record of 37 points set by Jessica Gerald on January 8, 2008 vs. CSU Bakersfield. 

Quick Hits
–The Highlanders 13 wins have come against Bryant, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, UMBC, Delaware State, Lafayette, Sacred Heart, Fordham, St. Thomas, and home wins against Wagner, Saint Peter's Manhattan, and Drexel.
–The 13 overall wins marks the fifth consecutive season with double-digit wins.
–The 13 wins are shy of the second-highest win total in the NJIT Division I era. The 16-15 overall record in 201-13 was the first winning record and highest wins total in the Division I era (began 2006-07). Only the 2004-05 team (18 wins) and the 2005-06 team (17 wins in the program's final Division II season) have won more.
–NJIT is 4-2 in the America East, tied for second with Maine and Bryant.
–The nine non-conference wins are the most in the NJIT DI era.
–NJIT started out the season 10-4, which marks the best start in the NJIT Division I era and best start since the 2005-06 season.
–In the last two seasons, NJIT has won the America East Conference opener.
–Senior Alejandra Zuniga made history on Saturday becoming NJIT's all-time leading scorer in women's basketball history in the Highlanders 78-65 road victory over Bryant in America East Conference women's basketball action inside Chase Athletic Center.  Zuniga, who entered the game with 1,489 points, scored her milestone points in the third quarter at the 4:07 on a layup to become NJIT's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Jessica Gerald (1,504 career points; 2007-11).  She finished with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds.
– Zuniga tallied a program-record 39 points at UMBC on January 1, 2026 for the Highlanders first conference win of the 2026 season.
–Sophomore Allison Cannon registered a triple-double (14pts, 11ast, 10reb) against Lafayette on November 30, which marked the first triple double in NJIT Division I era and the third triple double all-time.
–Sophomore Olivia Kulyk leads the America East Conference in overall three-point field goals made (46) and tops the conference in three-pointers per game (2.6). She sits fifth in the conference in scoring at (15.7ppg).
–The 48-point win margin of victory over Saint Peter's on November 19 is the most against a Division I opponent since 2012.
–The 82 total points at Fordham on November 7 are the most points scored by the Highlanders this season.
–NJIT has scored 80 or more points in three games this season.
–The Highlanders have had four players score in double-digits in five games this season.
–NJIT started the 2025 season 6-1 for the first time in program history.
--In the last four seasons, NJIT has won the season opener and started 1-0.

NJIT All-Time Leading Scorer - Alejandra Zuniga
Senior Alejandra Zuniga made history on Saturday becoming NJIT's all-time leading scorer in women's basketball history in the Highlanders 78-65 road victory over Bryant in America East Conference women's basketball action inside Chase Athletic Center.  Zuniga, who entered the game with 1,489 points, scored her milestone points in the third quarter at the 4:07 on a layup to become NJIT's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Jessica Gerald (1,504 career points; 2007-11).  She finished with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds vs. Bryant.

Largest Margin of Victory Since 2012
The 48-point margin of victory against Saint Peter's (Nov. 19) is the most against a Division I opponent since February 18, 2012, when NJIT defeated Houston Baptist by 60-points, 88-28.  In 2023-24, NJIT defeated Wagner by 44-points (NJIT 80, Wagner 36).

America East Conference
NJIT will begin its sixth season in the America East and will play a schedule of 16 conference games against the other eight schools.  The Highlanders became the 10th full member of the America East on July 1, 2020 and were selected to finish eighth in the 2024-25 preseason coaches poll.

Zuniga was selected to the America East Preseason All-Conference team.   Last season, Zuniga was picked to the America East first team, as a sophomore she was named to the second team and during her freshman campaign, Zuniga earned America East Rookie of the Year, America East Third team, America East All-Rookie team honors. She is coming off a season which saw the Highlanders guard ranked third in the league in scoring (16.0ppg), third in assists (3.4), fifth in free throw percentage (65.0%) and fifth in field goal percentage (44.0%).

The Highlanders, which made its fifth consecutive appearance in the 2025 America East postseason tournament, concluded its season with a 11-19 overall mark and 8-18 in the America East.

Scouting UMBC
UMBC enters Thursday's game with an 8-9 overall mark, 3-2 in the America East.

The Retrievers have won the last three straight and are led by two players averaging double-digits – Jade Tillman (14.9ppg) and Kennedy Austin (10.3ppg).  Tillman tops the team in rebounding (6.3rpg).

Tillman, the reigning America East Conference Player of the Week, led UMBC to a 2-0 week, averaged 21 points and 10.5 rebounds, becoming the first Retriever to record back-to-back double-doubles since 2023. Tillman has scored 12 or more points in 10 straight games, averaging 17.9 points per contest during that stretch.

Heidi Williams was named America East Rookie of the Week, averaging 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in the two victories, putting forth a dominant effort versus Binghamton. 

Williams scored 17 points, pulled down six rebounds, and nabbed three steals in the six-point win over the Bearcats. 

She is averaging 9.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds for the season and has improved on those marks in league play, averaging 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in five America East games. 

Next Up
NJIT will have a bye weekend and be back in action on January 29, hosting UAlbany at 6pm on ESPN+.

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.