Box Score
NEWARK, N.J. – NJIT hit 17 three-pointers to defeat visiting HBU, 82-55, Saturday afternoon at the Fleisher Center.
Rayven Johnson led all scorers with 30 points, going 8-for-8 in the first half in three-pointers and finished the game shooting 10-of-13 from the floor and 9-of-13 from beyond the arc for NJIT (5-10, 2-0 GWC). Jessica Gerald finished with 28 points, 14 in each half. She went 9-of-17 from the floor and 7-of-13 long balls. The duo hit 16 of the team's 17 three-pointers, as the Highlanders shot 55 percent from beyond the arc. On the boards, Ivana Seric grabbed a team-high six while Kristian Parker grabbed five.
Destini Texada led HBU (2-15, 0-2 GWC) with 16 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. She also led the team with two blocks and three steals and also recorded two assists. Jamie Spriggs was tied for second in points with 12, with Megan Green, and was second in rebounds with eight.
“NJIT shot the ball very well, they even hit shots at the halftime buzzer that you just can't make adjustments for,” said head coach Mary Gleason. “We got some good scoring out of Destini and Jamie, and Megan hit some good threes to keep a spark, but we just dug ourselves too big of a hole to overcome.
“I am proud of how we responded in the second half, holding NJIT scoreless for the first seven or eight minutes. We're going to learn from this and continue to get better, and we're really excited to be at home next weekend on our home court."
Johnson hit the first of her eight first-half three pointers a minute into the game following a Highlander jumper, giving NJIT an early 5-0 lead. After a Jamie Spriggs jumper pulled the Huskies to within three, 7-4, the Highlanders hit back-to-back threes and followed that with a jumper before a Megan Green three-pointer stopped the rally, giving the Highlanders a 15-7 advantage.
Texada had a lay-up to pull the visitors within eight points, but Johnson hit her third 3-pointer of the first half to give NJIT an 11-point advantage. Following the media timeout with 10-and-a-half minutes left in the opening half, the Huskies got on a little run, with jumpers by Ernesta Griciunaite and Mele Leasau, before Johnson hit her fourth long-ball of the half to give NJIT a 10-point advantage, 23-13.
Following a pair of Texada free throws with seven minutes left, the Highlanders scored eight of the game's next 10 points, with three-pointers by Gerald and Johnson sandwiching a jumper by Maria Sanchez.
Tia Jackson had an easy layup following the Johnson long ball, but NJIT went on a 7-0 run in a two-minute span to lead the Huskies 39-19. The Highlanders hit three 3-pointers in a one-minute span, one by Gerald and two by Johnson, the final one banking off the backboard with nine seconds left in the first half, giving NJIT a 44-22 halftime lead.
HBU started the second half on a 6-0 run, as Texada had four of the six points, to cut the deficit to 48-28. A Johnson layup stopped the run and gave the Highlanders a 50-28 lead. Green hit a three right before the second media timeout of the half. After the break, Gerald scored five points, hitting a three and sinking two free throws, to give NJIT a 60-31 lead.
Texada hit two free throws and Spriggs sinked a jumper before there were five combined three pointers, two by Green and three by Gerald, making the score 71-41 in favor of the Highlanders.
A jumper by Kimberly Dweck was followed by four straight Husky points, a pair of free throws by Joselyn Pugh and a layup by Spriggs. Jelena Zoric hit a three pointer with one minute remaining and Jackson hit a pair of free throws for the final points of the game.
HBU will host UT-Pan American on Saturday, Jan. 22 in the Huskies' conference home opener. Tip-off is set for a 5:15 pm start.
