NJIT Women's Basketball Advances to First-Ever America East Semifinals

The NJIT women's basketball team advanced to its first-ever America East Conference semifinals defeating visiting UMass Lowell, 47-33, led by Kenna Squier (14pts) and Ellyn Stoll (13 points) Saturday afternoon inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.

The 15 wins for the Highlanders is the second highest win total in the NJIT Division I era and the victory over UMass Lowell marks the first time the Highlanders have won a postseason game since the 2012-13 season (defeated Chicago State March 15, 2013 in the semifinals of the Great West Conference Tournament).

"It feels good to get the first-ever America East Tournament win," fourth-year head coach Mike Lane added postgame. "Just an unbelievable performance by our girls. Maddie Martin had to pull the point guard duties all game and was incredible and it was a great defensive effort by the team."

The Highlanders held UMass Lowell to 26% shooting and outscored the River Hawks 29-16 in the second half.

America East Conference third-team selection Squier led all players with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field while pulling down four rebounds followed by fifth-year Ellyn Stoll, who combined for 13 points on 6-of-13 from. Junior forward Maria Fux added eight points and three rebounds for NJIT.

UMass Lowell was led by Jaini Edmonds nine points while Ivory Finley combined for six points and four rebounds off the bench.

The River Hawks jumped out to a 6-2 run and the Highlanders rallied back and cut the lead to one, 8-7, on a three-pointer by Aria Myers at the 4:35 mark. NJIT scored the final four points of the first quarter, cutting the UMass Lowell lead to two, 13-11, on a jumper from the free throw line by Squier.

A low-scoring quarter for both teams in the second quarter, NJIT took its first lead of the game, 14-13, on a three-pointer by Fux with less than seven minutes to play and went into the locker room with a one-point lead, 18-17.

NJIT started off the third quarter on a 12-3 spurt, extending the Highlanders lead to 10, 30-20, at the 3:15 mark. In the run, Stoll connected on six straight points for the home team.  

UMass Lowell cut the deficit to as many as seven in the fourth quarter, 34-27, but the Highlanders used a 6-2 run to extend its lead to double-figures, 40-29, just under the six minute mark.  In the final 2:30, NJIT closed out the game on a 7-2 run to secure the 47-33 home victory over UMass Lowell.

NJIT will visit No. 1 Maine on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. The two teams split the regular season series, with NJIT defeating Maine, 67-59 in overtime on Jan. 2 while the Black Bears defeated NJIT, 77-43, on February 19.

NJIT Highlights vs. UMass Lowell 

NJIT Post Game Interview 

Post Game Recap with ESPN+ Mike Ventola and Dave Calloway