NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will host a pair of America East Conference teams this week, first welcoming New Hampshire on February 12.
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
The all-time series is tied at 7-7 with the Highlanders winning the last three out of four contests, including the last meeting on January 8, a 69-62 road victory.
Spread Respect Game
Thursday's game is selected as our Spread Respect game. America East Spread Respect initiative raises awareness to ensure equality and safety for all student-athletes, coaches and fans. Both teams Thursday are wearing End Racism shooting shirts that contain the words from Martin Luther King Jr's "Loving Your Enemies" sermon in the design. America East and all of its member institutions are committed to ending discrimination and injustice. Today and everyday, we join with the America East Conference in the mission to Spread Respect.
Last Time Out
Binghamton scored 45 second-half points and held off visiting NJIT to secure a 72-69 home victory Saturday afternoon in America East Women's Basketball action inside Dr. Bai Lee Court.
The Bearcats, winners of five in a row, improved to 17-6 overall, 9-1 in the America East and are 11-1 at home this season.
The Highlanders (14-10, 5-6 America East) held a 10-point lead at the half, 38-28, and outscored the Bearcats in the second quarter, 21-8. Binghamton scored 25 third quarter points and led by two heading into the final quarter, 53-51.
In the fourth quarter, Binghamton pushed its lead up to as many as seven, 60-53, but the Highlanders cut the deficit to one twice, the final time, 66-65, before the Bearcats closed out the game scoring the final six out of eight points.
Quick Hits
–The Highlanders 14 wins have come against Bryant, UMass Lowell (2x), New Hampshire, UMBC, Delaware State, Lafayette, Sacred Heart, Fordham, St. Thomas, and home wins against Wagner, Saint Peter's Manhattan, and Drexel.
–The 14 overall wins marks the fifth consecutive season with double-digit wins.
–The 14 wins are one win shy of the second-highest win totals in the NJIT Division I era. NJIT finished 15-15 overall in 2022-23 under head coach Mike Lane.
–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 5-6 in the America East and sits in sixth place.
–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 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.
–Zuniga tallied her 300th career assist vs. UAlbany on January 29 after dishing out five assists.
–Zuniga ranks second in the America East Conference in scoring (18.6ppg), second in assists (4.3), and third in minutes (34.5).
–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 (47) and tops the conference in three-pointers per game (2.5). She sits fifth in the conference in scoring at (15.8ppg).
–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.
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. Zuniga currently stands with 1,613 career points.
300 Career Assists - Zuniga
Zuniga recorded her 300th career assist after tallying five assists vs. UAlbany on January 29, which now ranks the senior second in the NJIT Division I era and fifth all-time in NJIT history. Zuniga stands at 313 career assists.
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.
Last Meeting vs. the Wildcats
NJIT 69, New Hampshire 62 | January 8, 2026
NJIT scored 22 fourth-quarter points and had four players score in double-figures paced by Ava Locklear's double-double (11 points, 14 rebounds) as the Highlanders came from behind to pick up a 69-62 road victory inside Lundholm Gymnasium.
NJIT down by as many as six in the fourth quarter, 60-54, used a 9-0 spurt to pull ahead by three, 63-60, with two minutes left to go and finished the game on a 15-2 run over span of 6:11 to secure the road victory.
In addition to Locklear's 11 points, Alejandra Zuniga led the Highlanders with 19 points followed by Olivia Kulyk (14) and Allison Cannon (13).
Scouting the Wildcats
New Hampshire enters Thursday's contest with an 8-15 overall mark, 2-8 in the America East.
The Wildcats have dropped their last two games, most recently a 60-35 loss to Vermont.
New Hampshire's two wins in America East action are over UMass Lowell and UAlbany.
Leading the Wildcat offense is Eva Dechent who ranks 10th in the America East in scoring (17.2ppg) and is shooting 41.7% from the field and 81.0 % from the free throw line and is averaging 5.8rpg.
Next Up
NJIT will be back in action on Saturday at 12Noon when the Highlanders host Maine in a Play4Kay game.
Stay Connected
Follow NJIT Women's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@NJITWBB) and like the NJIT Women's Basketball page on Facebook for the latest updates throughout the season.
