Back Into the Win Column, Women's Basketball Holds On for 67-61 Win Over Saint Peter's

The NJIT women's basketball team moved back into the win column led by sophomore guard Lyzi Litwinko's career-high 16 points as the Highlanders held on for a 67-61 victory over visiting Saint Peter's Saturday afternoon in non-conference action inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

NJIT, winners of the last four-out-of-five games, moves above .500 with a 4-3 record while Saint Peter's drops to 1-4 on the young season.  

The four wins for NJIT matches the Highlanders win total from a season ago and the last time the Highlanders started off the season 4-3 dates back to the 2012-13 season when NJIT went on to capture the 2013 Great West Conference Tournament Title and finished with 16 wins (the most in the NJIT DI era) and tied third-most in program history.

NJIT, which set the tone in the first half, finished the game shooting 45.7% from the field (21-for-46), 39.1% from three-point range (9-for-23) and 72.7% from the three throw line (16-for-22).  The nine three-pointers are a season-best for the Highlanders.

Leading the way offensively for NJIT was Litwinko, who scored a career-best 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.  The 5-foot-8 guard led the Highlanders on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds.

Redshirt senior Kimi Evans scored 15 points -- five points shy of her career mark, shooting 6-for-7 from the field and 1-of-2 from beyond the arc.

Fifth-year Ellyn Stoll chipped in nine points while junior Maria Fux added seven points, five rebounds and three blocks.  Classmate Kenna Squier filled up the scoresheet, adding eight points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block for NJIT.

Freshman Trinity Williams came off the bench and scored six points, pulled down six boards in 17 minutes of action.

Saint Peter's Kendrea Williams scored a game-best 19 points and Kassondra Brown combined for a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

The Highlanders dished out a season-best 16 assists led by three different Highlanders -- Maria Fux, Lyzi Litwinko and Ellyn Stoll posting four assists in the win.

NJIT took its first lead of the game, 6-5, on a beautiful pass by Litwinko to Squier on a fast break to start the game.  The Highlanders used a 11-0 run, extending its lead to 17-7, capped by a three-pointer by Stoll with 1:30 on the clock. 

The Highlanders continued its momentum into the second quarter, jumping out to an 8-2 spurt, increasing its lead to 14, 25-11, resulting in a Saint Peter's timeout at the 7:02 mark.  NJIT took its largest lead of the game, 16, 31-15, on back-to-back three-pointers by Fux just under the 5:30 mark.  

Saint Peter's rallied back, cutting the Highlander deficit to 10, 34-24, on a three-pointer by Williams at the 2:18 mark but NJIT's Litwinko knocked down a turnaround jumper in the paint, sending the Highlanders into the half up 13, 43-40.

NJIT's Litwinko and Saint Peter's Williams led all scorers at the half with 10 each.  NJIT shot 54.5% from three-point range 6-for-11 after the first 20 minutes.

The Highlanders went ahead, 16, 53-37, on a layup by Squier at the 6:15 mark but Saint Peter's closed out the third period on a 8-3 run, cutting the Highlander lead to 11, 56-45.

To start the fourth quarter, Saint Peter's used a 9-0 run, closing the Highlander gap to single digits, five, 61-56, on an old-fashioned three-point play by Williams with 5:30 remaining in the contest.  The Peacocks held the Highlanders scoreless over the next four minutes minutes until Litwinko connected on a jumper at the elbow for a 63-56 score.

The Peacocks inched their way back into the game, pulling within four of the Highlanders, 63-59, on a bucket by Brown with less than two minutes to play but NJIT scored the last four-out-of-six points from the free throw line and held on for its fourth win of the season with a 67-61 victory.

NJIT will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Rider.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

VIDEO: NJIT Highlights vs. Saint Peter's

VIDEO: Post Game Interview with ESPN3's David Gass, Lyzi Litwinko and Head Coach Mike Lane

VIDEO: Post Game Wrap Up with ESPN3's Mike Ventola and Assistant Coach Sara Mitchell